Youth leader killed, siblings injured, nine houses burnt as violence takes stage in Imo election
OWERRI – The youth leader-elect of Umusi Olokwa community in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, Stanley Nwoke, has been killed in a violent attack.
Nwoke was murdered on Saturday night, shortly after being declared the winner of the January 3, 2025, election. The assailants also injured four of his siblings and set nine houses on fire.
Sources within the community revealed that tensions had been brewing over the election results, which led to the violent attack.
In response, Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, visited the community on Sunday for an on-the-spot assessment of the destruction.
In a statement, State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed that CP Danjuma strongly condemned the murder and assured that justice would be served.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the violence erupted over a youth election held on January 3, 2025, after Nwoke was declared the winner. A faction, allegedly led by Chinaza Nwachukwu and others who are currently at large, is suspected to be behind the attack.”
“In response, CP Aboki Danjuma and his management team visited the community to assess the situation. He commiserated with the bereaved families and those whose houses were destroyed, assuring them of the Command’s commitment to ensuring justice and preventing future violence.”
So far, four suspects have been arrested and are undergoing investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend others who fled.
The Commissioner of Police assured residents that normalcy has been restored in Umusi Olokwa and that security measures have been intensified to prevent further unrest.
He urged community leaders to embrace peaceful conflict resolution and warned that violence would not be tolerated as a means of settling disputes.
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Meanwhile, the deceased’s body has been deposited at the morgue, and the injured victims are receiving treatment in a hospital.
