Tension as Gunmen Shoot Policeman Dead in Imo, Wife, Sister in Tears as They Recover His Remains from Gutter
- Another policeman, Loveday Obilonu, has been killed in the southeastern state, Imo, by unknown gunmen
- Obilonu's corpse was discovered in a gutter at Okwuuratta Road in Owerri, the capital of Imo state
- The deceased's cousin has called for a thorough investigation of the incident, saying he suspected the policeman was specifically targetted for assassination
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Loveday Obilonu, a police sergeant has been shot dead in Owerri, the Imo state capital, by gunmen who are yet to be identified.
Leadership newspaper reported that the policeman was discovered dead in a gutter at Okwuuratta Road, off Chukwuma Nwoha Road, Owerri North, on Wednesday, May 19.
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Legit.ng gathers that Obilonu, a father of four, was attached to the Department of Operations at the state police command headquarters in Owerri.
The sight of his wife and sister crying uncontrollably at the scene left many people shattered.
The deceased cousin, Val Okara, said called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
He said:
“I suspect that my younger cousin was assassinated because not less than five bullets were released on his head.
"He was shot dead inside the gutter, raising suspicion that it might be an assassination. The police should do a thorough investigation."
Okara further lamented:
"I am pained about his death because he left a very young family. I am his marriage godfather.
"He had a very loving wife and I do not know how his wife and children will pull through this now. This is indeed very regrettable.”
He said the incident has been reported at the Orji Divisional Police headquarters while his corpse has been evacuated to Aladinma morgue in Owerri, The Nation also reported.
An earlier report indicates that policemen in the southeast have abandoned their checkpoints and now go to work in mufti for fear of being attacked.
In the past few weeks, armed men have targeted police stations and checkpoints in what security experts say is a coordinated attack targeted at the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the report, since the beginning of 2021, there had been bloodbaths in most of the southeast states and there appears to be no solution in sight.
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Meanwhile, the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali has launched a new security operation to check the separatist agenda of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the southeast zone.
Alkali told journalists on Tuesday, May 18, that the operation codenamed, Operation Restore Peace (Operation RP) was customized to bring back the cherished peace that the southeast was known for.
He made the disclosure at the Okpara Square in Enugu in the company of the southeast governors led by Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Source: Legit.ng
