Gunmen have killed a ward chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okwe, a community in Onuimo Local Government of Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The victim, Christian Ihim, was killed when the gunmen invaded his residence on Tuesday night.
He served as the chairperson of the Umuchoke Ward in the council area.
The attackers, after killing him, abducted five other chieftains of the APC in the community.
Sources said the hoodlums shot repeatedly through the night, forcing many residents to flee.
The gunmen also invaded Okwelle, a neighbouring community and abducted a female member of the APC identified as Onyinyechi Egenti.
The slain chairman was a former aide to Emma Ibediro, the immediate past national organising Secretary of the APC.
When contacted on Thursday, the police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, but requested to be contacted via WhatsApp to provide details about the attack.
He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesperson of the APC in Imo State, Cajethan Duke, also confirmed the killing of the ward chairperson to this newspaper.
“I have confirmed that. It is true,” he said of the incident, adding that the details of the attack remain sketchy.
Mr Duke also confirmed the abduction of the five APC chieftains by the gunmen during the attack.
“They also kidnapped five other chieftains (of the APC). But out of the five kidnapped persons, they have released two of them,” the APC spokesperson said.
Asked if ransom was paid to secure the release of the victims, Mr Duke said the information he received did not indicate that ransom was paid to the hoodlums.
Increased attacks
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.
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The latest incident occurred days after gunmen beheaded the sole administrator of Ideato North Local Government Area of the state.
Gunmen, in December, killed the Labour Party candidate for Onuimo Local Government Area Constituency in the state.
The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks.
The separatist group is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.
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