Soldiers, IPOB clash in Owerri; many die

Troops of 34 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Obinze, in Owerri, killed four gunmen in Amaifeke and  Ihioma communities in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo on Monday.

Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated in Owerri that items recovered from the encounter included one pump action gun and 10 live cartridges.

Other items were one Toyota Hilux truck reportedly snatched at gunpoint on Sunday by the irredentist gunmen, mobile telephone handsets and charms.

Nwachukwu stated that the gunmen, suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra were neutralised in a fierce encounter with the troops.

He added that the dissidents were killed while trying to enforce IPOB’s sit-at-home order by shooting sporadically, threatening lives and property of innocent citizens.

“They opened fire on sighting the patrol team out to ensure safety and security of lives and property of citizens.

“The vigilant troops engaged the criminals and neutralised four of them while others escaped from the scene,’’ he stated.

Nwachukwu enjoined members of the public to provide credible information on the movement of criminal elements to security agencies whenever they are sighted in their communities.