11 Feared Dead In Latest Imo Community Massacre By Unknown Assailants
SaharaReporters gathered that the latest attack occurred around 8 pm on Wednesday, January 8, when the assailants invaded the community.
At least 11 persons have reportedly been killed in the latest ongoing massacre in Amanaogu Autonomous Community Ihitenansa in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria, by unknown assailants.
SaharaReporters gathered that the latest attack occurred around 8 pm on Wednesday, January 8, when the assailants invaded the community.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that no fewer than 30 people were killed between Sunday, January 5 and Wednesday, January 8.
Some reports even put the casualty figures at 40.
The recent attack has left multiple casualties, with videos obtained showing the bodies of at least 11 victims, including women and children, in front of their homes.
The circumstances surrounding the attack are still unclear. The victims appear to have been killed both inside their residences and at a nearby drinking joint.
In one of the disturbing videos obtained by SaharaReporters, it appeared that a family of three – father, mother and only child – were slaughtered with their mother-in-law in front of their local business centre.
A voice in one of the videos describes a harrowing scene in which the attackers forcibly entered another house, proceeded upstairs, and brutally killed the entire family inside.
“This very family ran into their house, locked their door and went upstairs and yet these assailants broke their doors, went after them and killed five persons inside,” the voice says.
“A mother, son and daughter and two other family members were killed in the house. This is evil.”
Another voice in one of the videos says: “You see, most of these people were killed with cutlasses and about three were shot. What sin did they commit? My heart really bleeds.”
Meanwhile the state police command could neither confirm the latest attack nor deny it.
When SaharaReporters reached out to the state police command spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, for a comment, he requested that an inquiry be sent via text message. However, at the time of filing this report, he had not responded to the text message or returned multiple calls.
SaharaReporters discovered that the Amanaogu Ihitenansa autonomous community and the Amankwo Amaebu community have been the hardest hit by the violence.
