Ebubeagu Security Outfit, Shoot Dead Five elderly persons in Imo State

 Ebubeagu Security Outfit, Shoot Dead Five elderly persons in Imo State

For a while now, communities around Orlu and environ have been having sleepless nights over the constant killings of people by gunmen. It was gathered that as a result of these attacks, residents have deserted their communities and are relocating to a safer environment some out of fears sleeps in the bush to avoid midnight raid by these Ebubeagu Secrity Outfit. 

Last Thursday, some elderly indigenes who were having a family meeting in Okporo, Orlu Council Area of Imo State were shot by yet-to-be identified gunmen who stormed the venue of their meeting.

The Imo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force says it has begun an investigation into the shooting of five elderly men by suspected operatives of Ebubeagu security outfit in Okporo community, Orlu Local Government Area of the state. Ebubeagu is the security network formed by state governments in the South-East to tackle insecurity in the region, but from every indication, the security has turned out to become a nightmare for villagers, especially they youths.

It was reported that no fewer than five persons were allegedly shot by the gunmen suspected to be Ebubeagu while the meeting was going on.

The Imo State Police Command, Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Michael Abattam, confirmed the latest killing in Owerri.

Abattam said the victims were shot while having a family meeting on Thursday, adding that the command had yet to know those behind the killing.

He said, “We have started an investigation into the incident. They were in a meeting when they were shot." 

Video footage that has gone viral which was posted by a twitter user Emeka Gift official, in the said video obtained by newsmen Emeka Gift raised alarm that people should call home to find out if their elderly ones are still alive, He wrote " If you are from Imo state Orlu and its environs, call home and find out if your aged parents are still alive, the young ones have all ran away because the recruited Boko Haram in Nigerian military are going home to home slaughtering people. Call home"

If you are from Imo state Orlu and its environs, call home and find out if your aged parents are still alive, the young ones have all ran away because the recruited Boko Haram in Nigerian military are going home to home slaughtering people. Call home.@StateDept @CCSoludo +18 pic.twitter.com/ESYAZqlKRf

— Emeka Gift Official (@EmekaGift100) June 17, 2022

The video shows five persons in a pool of blood, struggling for life.

While two appear to have died, the other three appear to be in pain as they ask for help.

One of the victims is heard saying in Igbo,

“Come and help me oo, I'm dying oo."

Also, a woman is crying and calling for help for her son to be taken to the hospital for treatment. 

“I’m dead, Chineke mea I am dead,” she says.

Another gunshot victim can be seen dragging himself and shouting for help. The victims are all soaked in blood as it gushes out from the gunshot injuries they sustained. 

Some of the residents who spoke to Newsmen maintained that the victims were shot by Ebebeagu operatives who were going about in search of young men.

“We have heard more horrible tales about the activities of Ebubeagu in our area. They were not unknown gunmen.

“The Ebubeagu guys who shot the people were said to be looking for some youths. When they didn’t see the people they were looking for, they descended on the old folks.

“I know what those people are passing through. There’s no villager who doesn’t know the activities of unknown gunmen. When it is the state operatives, they also know,” one of the community members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Another person alleged that the Ebubeagu security outfit has turned the area into a living hell.