According to a local source who spoke to Leadership on condition of anonymity, the couple had been accompanied by two property agents to inspect a property when the incident occurred. The source recounted that the victims were driving in a Highlander SUV when they were suddenly attacked by masked gunmen. The man initially managed to escape while the attackers held his wife. However, in an attempt to return and rescue her, he was intercepted again. The gunmen reportedly shot him dead and abducted his wife.
The attackers abandoned the vehicle at the scene and fled with the woman into a nearby forest. The two property agents managed to escape, though one reportedly sustained injuries. Police operatives later arrived and evacuated the man’s body from the scene.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye, stated that efforts are underway to apprehend the attackers and rescue the kidnapped woman. “We are working hard to secure the release of the kidnapped woman. The DPO of Owerri West Division, along with his team and local vigilante operatives, have commenced a thorough search of the forest as directed by the Commissioner of Police,” he said.
