At least seven persons have been confirmed dead and several others injured after unidentified gunmen launched deadly attacks on three communities in the Arondizuogu area of Ideato North Local Government Area, Imo State.
The affected communities—Umualoma, Ndiakunwanta, and Ndiejezie—were reportedly stormed in the early hours of Friday by armed men on motorbikes, who opened fire on unsuspecting residents.
Eyewitnesses said the victims included bar patrons, shopkeepers, customers, and passersby. A local resident, who preferred anonymity, described the scene as chaotic and horrifying.
“People were relaxing in bars, selling or buying goods, and some were just playing drafts when the attackers arrived. They didn’t spare anyone—they just started shooting indiscriminately. As I speak, bodies are still lying on the ground, and many people are in critical condition,” the resident told our correspondent.
The Imo State Police Command has since confirmed the incident. In a statement issued on Friday, the Command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, disclosed that seven people were killed, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
He noted that the attackers are suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network.
The statement read in part: “The Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, has condemned the barbaric attack which claimed seven lives and left others injured. The Command has deployed tactical units to the affected areas, and a manhunt for the perpetrators is underway.”
Okoye assured residents that the situation has been brought under control and that proactive security measures have been taken to prevent further violence.
“The Commissioner has led intense search operations in the affected communities and assures the public that justice will be served. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased, and we pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he added.