OKIGWE, May 9 (AGCNewsNet) – Chaos erupted Thursday morning in Imo State’s Okigwe Local Government Area as gunmen launched a deadly ambush along the busy Okigwe-Owerri Road, killing numerous travelers and setting dozens of vehicles ablaze.

The attackers reportedly operated in three separate groups and blocked the highway between Umuna (Onuimo LGA) and Amuro (Okigwe LGA), forcing vehicles to a halt before opening fire and igniting them.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrific. Augustine Mbanusi, a resident, told reporters in Igbo that over 20 vehicles—mainly trucks and tippers—were destroyed. He estimated that up to 30 people may have been killed, though the official death toll is yet to be confirmed.

“Some soldiers and police operatives really confronted them. But up to 30 people were killed,” Mbanusi said.

A video clip circulating on Facebook showed several trucks engulfed in flames. Voices in the background of the clip expressed helplessness as travelers screamed and some were trapped in the burning vehicles.

“People are still trapped… One of them is even dead already,” voices said in Igbo.

The Imo State Police Command confirmed the attack in a statement by spokesperson Henry Okoye. He said the assailants shot indiscriminately, caused panic, and razed vehicles, including motorcycles. He confirmed there were casualties but did not provide exact numbers.

The police suspect members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were behind the ambush.

Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma immediately led a joint tactical team—comprising the Nigerian Army, police, and State Security Service—to the scene, launching a manhunt for the attackers. A full-scale search operation is ongoing in surrounding forests believed to be hideouts for the suspects.

Mr. Danjuma condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act of terror” and urged the public to stay calm, alert, and cooperate with security agencies.

This incident is the latest in a series of deadly attacks across Nigeria’s South-east, where insecurity has surged in recent years. Government personnel, security operatives, and civilians have frequently come under attack in the region.

While the federal government often blames IPOB for the violence, the separatist group has consistently denied involvement in such attacks.

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Source: Times Live