Some unidentified gunmen, on Friday morning, ambushed policemen at Okpala junction in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.

DAILY POST gathered from a reliable source who craved anonymity that a couple, Mr and Mrs Chinaka Nwagu, who were from the Amankwo Okpala community, were also killed.

The source said due to the tragedy, business activities in the entire neighbourhood had come to an end.

He said, “The dead officers traveled from the nearby Abo Mbaise police division to eat at the junction.”

He claimed that some gunmen arrived on the spot and started shooting at the policeman while they were eating.

He claimed that while three police officers were slain at the spot, two others who fled were killed alongside a couple at a shop where they ran for cover.

“The shop belonged to the couple.

“The attackers took away five riffles after killing the police officers.

“This is very regrettable. Our neighborhood is in pain. Everyone is perplexed. About a year ago, the couple moved from Lagos. The market has closed. Out of shock and panic, people have fled. I can’t believe this,” he lamented.

A community source, Emeka Ndukwu, who claimed to have driven via the Owerri-Aba Road, said he saw the dead bodies of the police officers.

Ndukwu remarked, “This is awful. As we passed by, the five policemen’s bodies were on the road. At the crossroads, their Hilux was also parked. It was an awful scene. This is awful. God be merciful.”

When reached, Henry Okoye, spokesman of the State Police Command stated that he had not yet received a briefing on the murder, promising to inform our correspondent once briefed.