At least two people, including a local vigilante operative, were killed on Monday when suspected armed herders invaded Umunjo, a community in the Irete area of Owerri West Local Government Area in Imo State.
The victims were identified by witnesses as Chigaemezu Ozuzu, a vigilante operative, and another individual. According to local sources, Mr. Ozuzu and two other vigilante operatives were accompanying land agents and prospective buyers to inspect a property when the attackers suddenly opened fire on the group.
Footage circulating from the scene showed the grim aftermath, with visibly distressed community youths retrieving the bodies of the slain victims.
Adding to the horror of the incident, there are unverified reports that some individuals who participated in the land inspection were abducted by the gunmen during the chaos. Residents expressed deep concern over the missing persons, though independent confirmation of the abduction claims remained pending as of Monday night.
In response to the escalating violence, the Imo State Police Command has confirmed the incident and launched a massive security overhaul in the affected areas. Police spokesperson Henry Okoye, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, stated that the Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, has condemned the killings and ordered the immediate deployment of enhanced security operations across Owerri West and Oguta Local Government Areas.
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“The Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Violent Crime Response Unit have been deployed with available operational assets in collaboration with community vigilantes to intensify intelligence-led operations and apprehend criminals,” Okoye said in a statement.
The police deployment will cover several communities, including Ejemekuru, Ogbakwu, Izombe, Irete, Umuguma, Okuku, Ndegwu, and Amakohia-Ubi. Commissioner Bosso has charged the deployed personnel to remain vigilant and proactive, vowing that the police will not allow criminals to establish a foothold in any part of the state.
As investigations continue, the attack serves as a grim reminder of the volatile security dynamics in the region. With land disputes increasingly intersecting with armed banditry, the burden now falls on security agencies to not only apprehend the perpetrators but to restore a sense of safety to communities where a routine property inspection can turn into a fight for survival.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
