2 killed, buildings razed as gunmen attack another council headquarters in south-east Nigeria

Gunmen have killed two persons during an attack on the headquarters of Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, south-east Nigeria.

The local government headquarters is in the Umuelemai Community of the state.

The attackers, according to a Premium Times report, invaded the secretariat at about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and shot sporadically, killing the victims.

One resident, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said the hoodlums razed several buildings and vehicles at the secretariat during the attack.

“The gunmen came immediately and threw bombs into the local government (headquarters) and killed some persons,” said the resident, who owns a shop close to the secretariat.

Another resident, Chukwudi Ogbonna, said apart from the slain victims, several others managed to escape with gunshot injuries during the attack.

This newspaper gathered that the two slain victims were members of Ebubeagu, a local security outfit created by the Imo State Government.

The attack, it was learnt, occurred some minutes after the ruling All Progressives Congress concluded its primary election for the forthcoming local government chairmanship and councillorship elections at the secretariat on Tuesday.

The general election is billed to take place on 21 September.

There are speculations that the attackers may have invaded the secretariat in an attempt to frustrate the exercise.

Premium Times reported obtaining two video clips apparently recorded after the attack.

One of the clips showed some buildings and vehicles in flames. This newspaper counted at least five such vehicles from the clip. In another clip, two bodies – said to be those of the slain security guards – were seen. The bodies of the victims had blood stains and bullet holes.

Some residents and sympathisers were heard in the clips lamenting the killing of the victims.

The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, did not respond to several calls and a series of text messages seeking his comments.

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.

The latest attack occurred about four days after gunmen attacked the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra, another state in the South-east.

Earlier on Tuesday, gunmen bombed Oba Police Divisional Headquarters in Anambra State, killing a police officer. In June, some armed persons attacked the same Ogbaru Local Government Secretariat.

The Nigerian government has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of the south-south.