Gunmen Kill Policeman, Pawpaw's Brother, Injure Commissioner In Imo

On Friday, unidentified gunmen opened fire in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State, killing a police officer and another resident named Prince Iheme.

Prince Iheme is the older brother of popular Nollywood actor Osita Iheme, also known as Pawpaw.

The gunmen fired sporadically in Mbaitoli, Orji, and Owerri, even as they warned people to stay indoors in observance of the sit-at-home order issued by a faction of banned Biafra agitators.

They also cut the Imo State Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Martin Eke, with machetes and left him in a pool of his own blood.

The gunmen, who arrived in three vehicles, drove into Orji and began attacking residents and bystanders, including police officers.

According to a source, the gunmen met with police officers at 7up Junction at Orji and shot one cop dead.

He said, “They killed a policemen. They opened fire on them and were shouting ‘didn’t you hear there is sit-at-home. We have asked you to go home. Stay in doors.'”

Another eyewitness said the gunmen made a stopped at Nkwo-Orji market and shot sporadically before zooming off towards Okigwe Road.

At Ubomri in the Mbaitoli local government area of the State, gunmen attacked the convoy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency, Engr. Akarachi Amadi.

Amadi and his entourage were on their way back from a political campaign rally.

The source added, “Prince Iheme was riding in the same vehicle with the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Martin Eke. Prince Iheme who is Pawpaw’s elder brother was killed on the spot. The Commissioner, who was sworn in two weeks ago was cut badly. He has just been rushed to a hospital. They were driving in a Ford vehicle”.

The Imo State Police spokesperson, Michael Abattam, was yet to respond to enquiries about the attacks as at press time.