Unidentified Gunmen Kill 8 Security Operatives In South-East Nigeria

Unidentified gunmen killed at least eight security operatives on Tuesday in Umualumaku community, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria's south-east.

The incident took place around 9:30 a.m. when the gunmen attacked the security operatives, who were in their two patrol vehicles. These gunmen opened fire on the security operatives and viral video on social media showed at least eight officials were killed.

A social media user shared a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, featuring the incident scene. In the video, two patrolling vans can be seen burning and security operatives' bodies are on the ground.

A spokesperson for the state Police Command, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident and said that the investigation is going on to learn more about the brutal killings.

"I have told you that we are investigating. I'm assuring members of the public that we are going to fish out those who are involved and make them face the law," he said, Punch reported. However, the spokesperson did not confirm the number of security operatives who died in the attack.

A resident shared that after the attack, many security agencies and soldiers came to the scene and it created panic among people.

"Immediately military men arrived in our community in Armoured Personnel Carriers, everyone began panicking and ran away," he said. "They came well loaded with a lot of armed men and arms heading to where the men were set ablaze. We even heard a joint team of security personnel was dispatched; even those from Umuahia are all also there."

A security operative, without disclosing his identity, said that reinforcement teams were sent to the area to search for the gunmen.

"Security operatives have been sent to the community," he said. "The video footage of the incident is gory. As I speak to you, our men and those of the other sister security agents have been deployed to the community. First is to rescue the corpses of the officers that were killed and search for the suspects."

Another resident named Henry Chukwuma said that the "gunmen also burnt their corpses. So, nobody will be able to tell how many police officers and soldiers were killed in the attack," Premium Times reported.

A resident noted that he saw the security operatives a few minutes before the attack as they drove around his area and then, they got attacked and killed. "Some youths went to the scene and confirmed the sad news," he said.

Earlier this month, Gunmen reportedly killed 10 people in Plateau State and destroyed several village houses. Last month, at least 13 people were killed in two separate attacks by Boko Haram Jihadists in the villages of Wulari and Maiwa in northeastern Nigeria's Borno.