Again, gunmen kidnap, kill police officer in Imo

Gunmen have killed a police officer in Imo State, south-east Nigeria.

The victim, Augustine Ukegbu, was killed at his community, Umuoshike Ogbor, in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Ukegbu, an inspector, was said to have travelled home for the Easter celebration, but was abducted on Saturday from his house on arrival, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Sources from the community told this newspaper that the police officer was later found dead in a bush in the council area.

“What happened was that he was kidnapped around 11 p.m. last Saturday. After the family reported the matter to Oke Ovoro Police Station, we began aggressive combing of a bush along Mbutu Road and we finally found the inspector’s body,” a police officer, who asked not to be named, told this newspaper, Wednesday morning. He said the slain officer was serving at Orji Police Divisional Headquarters in the state before the unfortunate incident.

A Lexus SUV vehicle believed to have been used to abduct the slain officer has been recovered by the officers who found the inspector’s corpse.

When contacted on Wednesday, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, confirmed the killing of the police inspector to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the police in the state were investigating the killing of the officer. “The commissioner of police (in the state) has ordered a manhunt to fish out the assailants and bring them to justice,” he said.

Worsening insecurity

Like other states in Nigeria’s south-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

The latest attack comes less than three weeks after gunmen killed four persons, including two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state.

The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria. PremiumTimes