The Imo State Police Command, in collaboration with other security agencies including the Military, the Department of State Services, DSS, and others, has launched a coordinated manhunt for criminal elements who attacked unsuspecting commuters along the Okigwe–Owerri Road in the early hours of Thursday, 8 May 2025.
A statement by Imo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, revealed that the attackers, operating in three separate groups, blocked the highway between Umunna in Onuimo LGA and parts of Okigwe LGA before executing their operation.
He explained that the suspected criminals fired sporadically, causing panic and chaos, and set vehicles—including lorries and motorcycles—ablaze. According to him, reports of human casualties have also been confirmed as a result of the attack.
DSP Okoye narrated that the Imo State Police Command swung into action immediately upon receiving a distress call, with Police Commissioner Aboki Danjuma leading the joint tactical team to the scene.
“The team provided immediate support to victims and initiated a comprehensive operation to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects responsible for this heinous attack.
“A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding,” he stated.
Okoye noted that the commissioner has assured the public that the operation will continue until all perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.
He added that the command has condemned the attack, describing it as a cowardly act of terror, and the Police Commissioner has urged residents in the area to remain calm, law-abiding, and security conscious.
He further appealed to the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information to aid the ongoing operations.
The command’s spokesperson assured residents that the Police, together with its sister agencies, remains fully committed to restoring normalcy and safeguarding the lives and property of all residents and road users across the state.
