Gunmen on Tuesday, 24th January, 2023 killed the ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Umucheke Okwe ward in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Christian Ihim.

The gunmen after killing Ihim who is popularly known as Zako, kidnapped five other chieftains of the ruling party in the community.

Community sources told our correspondent on Wednesday that the attackers shot repeatedly all through the night making the villagers to flee.

Apart from killing and kidnapping the APC chieftains, the gunmen also invaded a neighbouring community called Okwelle and also kidnapped a female member of the APC identified as Mrs Onyinyechi Egenti.

The slain chairman is said to be a former aide of the immediate past national Organising secretary of APC, Emma Ibediro.

One of the sources told our correspondent that the community has been deserted.

A source said “the ward chairman of APC in Umucheke Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area has been killed. Apart from killing him they also kidnapped five APC members in the community. They also went to Okwelle community and kidnapped an APC female member known as Onyinyechi Egenti. Our community is on the run now. They shot like it was a war period.”

Recall, gunmen had on December 15 killed the Labour Party candidate for the Onuimo LGA state House of Assembly election, Christopher Eleghu, popularly known as Wasco, after razing his country home in Okwe community.

Also, gunmen have kidnapped two community leaders in Ogbaku in the Mbaitoli LGA of the state.

The abduction of the two community leaders had put the community in a state of confusion.

The victims were identified as Fidelis Nwaebele and Kelechi Iherizie.

A source in the community who doesn’t want to be mentioned said, “they came around 7pm. They drove to fidelis Nwaebele house, released several gunshots and caught him. They later proceeded to Kelechi Iherizie’s shop surrendered him and caught him too.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Police in the state, Henry Okoye, promised to get back to our correspondent after enquires but refused to take several calls put to him by our correspondent afterwards.