BREAKING: Unknown Gunmen Kill Teenager, Three Vigilantes in Imo Community

An attack in Njaba area of Imo State on Sunday evening has claimed the lives of three individuals.

A vehicle belonging to a local vigilante group in the state was ambushed by unknown gunmen on July 7, 2024.

TheTraffic NG learned that the vigilantes were on patrol on Sunday evening in a vehicle when the gunmen attacked them at Afor Umuaka community in Njaba Local Government Area.

According to an eyewitness, the vigilantes were attacked when they were on security patrol within the community.

The eyewitness said three vigilantes and a teenager were killed by the gunmen.

The eyewitness reported that the assailants set up an ambush and began shooting sporadically at the security personnel.

According to him, a stray bullet struck the teenager, who died immediately on the spot.

He said "The gunmen overtook the community security Toyota Sienna the security men were patrolling with and shot them dead."

A statement in reaction to the incident by the state police command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, confirms a tactical squad had been deployed to append the attackers.

Okoye said "The Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has strongly condemned the attack and gruesome murder of the vigilante personnel of the Umuaka Autonomous Community by gunmen on Sunday evening, 7/07/2024."

"In the wake of the tragic incident that claimed the lives of three gallant vigilantes who were on routine crime prevention patrol and a passerby, the Commissioner of Police has deployed the Command’s Tactical Squad with the available operational resources to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the dastardly act."

He added that "CP Aboki Danjuma expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident and vowed that the command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are all arrested and brought to justice. He empathized with the families of the deceased victims and prayed for the repose of their souls."