By Pascal Ibe
A blog page on Facebook known as Igbere TV on Tuesday claimed that unknown gunmen killed four policemen in Imo State.
According to the post by Igbere TV, “BREAKING!! Unknown Gunm€n K!ll 4 Police Officers In Imo State 😭 | #IgbereTV
“According to an eyewitness, the policemen were sh0t de∆d by unidentified Gunm€n at Okigwe road from orji Anumudu’s estate to Ikeduru while manning road block“
Many commenters on the post, strongly condemned this act while others blamed police for always mounting road blocks.
However, some miscreants were happy with this incident.
Verification
Verifying the claim by Igbere TV that four policemen were killed on Tuesday, thefactwatch checks revealed that this is Misleading.
First, the video which went viral around 8am on Tuesday showed only two police officers and a civilian killed.
Locals who spoke to thefactwatch on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the fleeing gunmen Killed only three persons.
According to sources, the incident happened on Owerri – Okigwe Road, at police checkpoint, a place called double pole in Akabo community in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state.
The source said that indigenes and residents were shocked to hear gunshots renting the air, only to come out afterwards and realized that three persons were killed.
He said ” we heard gunshots and afterwards, we realized that two policemen and a passersby were shot dead. Policemen from Owerri have taken over the scene. This is very unfortunate.”
” They killed the policemen at Ndiokwu village which is popularly known as double pole and then moved to Ama-john area of the community. When they entered the village, they started shooting, sporadically.
“They entered Ndiuhu Umuiyi Akabo community after they killed the policemen, and were releasing gunshots in the village. They later left the community after shooting repeatedly.”
In a tense statement by Imo police command spokesperson, Henry Okoye confirmed to thefactwatch that two of the Imo police command’s gallant officers were shot dead.
According to Okoye, the tragic incident was perpetrated In the early hours on Tuesday by hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN) who attacked the operatives in their numbers firing sporadically. The operatives fought gallantly but unfortunately, two personnel and a civilian were fatally hit.
The Imo PPRO noted that the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma has deployed the Command’s Special Tactical Squad and equipped them with the available operational resources and intelligence to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and clamp down on the hoodlums responsible for the unprovoked and unwarranted attack and killing of Police Mobile operatives conducting stop-and-search at Akabor in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State.
The statement further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma alongside the DC Operations led Police Operatives to the scene of the crime for on-the-spot assessment of the incident. Intense operation is ongoing in the area for possible apprehension and prosecution of the fleeing hoodlums responsible for the senseless act of violence.
Verdict
The claim by Igbere TV that gunmen killed four policemen in Imo state, is Misleading.
The story narrated by the locals and a statement from the police authorities in Imo, refuted the claim.
