Chidiebube Okeoma, Owerri


There was panic in Imo State on Friday and Saturday as gunmen murdered seven suya sellers.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the traders were killed in separate shootings in Orlu and Umuaka in the Njaba Local Government Area of the state.

An eyewitness, Harisu Ishiaku, said that the suspected killers, who were dressed in military uniform and numbered more than seven, stormed the Afor Umuaka Market around 8.30pm, accosted the victims in their shops and shot them.

He said four of the victims were in the age bracket of 30 to 45 and had lived in the area for many years without any trouble or attack from any member of the community.

While suspecting those, who carried the attack to be strangers in the land, Ishiaku pointed out that before now, there had never been any problem between the traders and the Umuaka community.

According to the Imo State Coordinator of Hausa traders, Mallam Ibrahim Abdulkadir, the first incident happened on Friday as three
suya (roasted meat) sellers were about to close for the day when gunmen in a Sienna car emerged from nowhere and shot at them.
He said in a similar commando style, the gunmen operating in the same vehicle shot dead four Hausa traders at Umuaka.

Abdulkadir stated that Hausa traders in Orlu now live in fear as some had relocated to Owerri.
He said, “Actually, this thing started since on April 2. I was called that three persons had been killed by some men operating in a Siena car. The victims were suya sellers and were killed just as they were closing their shop in the night.

“Just as we were about to handle the situation, yesterday (Saturday) I was called again that four persons were killed by the same people.”

Our correspondent learnt that the bodies of the victims had been taken to Owerri in preparation to burying them according to Muslim rites.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Gender, Vulnerable Groups, Northern Affairs (Men), Ibrahim Sulaiman, said the state government as well as security agencies were on top of the matter.
While calling for peace to reign, the SA said Governor Hope Uzodimma was disturbed by the incident and was poised to bring the perpetrators justice.

“We have just finished a meeting with government officials and head of security agencies in the state. They’ve intervened in the matter to ensure that peace reigns. We cannot continue like this. We must nip this in the bud for the peace and security of our country,” Sulaiman stated.

He appealed to his northern brothers to remain calm and continue to be their brothers’ keeper at all times.

While saying that the killings were politically motivated by people who never wished the government and people of Imo State well, he expressed regret that the situation was getting out of hand.

Sulaiman assured the northern community of the commitment of the state government to putting a stop to the attacks.
Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, were not fruitful as his phones indicated that they were unreachable.

He had yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone as of the time of filing this report. ,,

https://ondoupdate.com/tension-in-imo-as-seven-suya-sellers-killed-in-two-days/

A

What have we done to IPOB in south? Why killing innocent people like HERDSMEN and boko haram?

This is uncalled for.

Why kill innocent Nigerian businessmen.

What statement are the murderers trying to make by this random killings

This is sad and not a news for Monday.

When Rashidi is thru with Ebonyi women he will send his minions to imo, they have murdered sleep

This is the work of fulani herdsmen who want to kill and instigate the military to come to orlu again

kettykin:
This is the work of fulani herdsmen who want to kill and instigate the military to come to orlu again

You are very correct. Obadiah Mailafia said it plainly and DSS invited him for questioning. These herdsmen are trying to start a civil war. Gaskiya

Oluwamarc posted news happening in Owerri without source, why?

I suspected the Fulani bandits when it was stated the attackers wore military uniforms. ESN personnel have their uniform. Moreover Hausas are also victims of these bandits' attacks, so Igbos can't attack innocent Hausas They want to rope in the Hausas to make it appear they are being attacked in Igboland so as to instigate reprisal attacks against Igbos up north

tungamaje:
I suspected the Fulani bandits when it was stated the attackers wore military uniforms. ESN personnel have their uniform. Moreover Hausas are also victims of these bandits' attacks, so Igbos can't attack innocent Hausas They want to rope in the Hausas to make it appear they are being attacked in Igboland so as to instigate reprisal attacks against Igbos up north

I very much doubt fulani herdsmen have the logistics or motive to carry out such attack in the city, na for inside remote village Fulani dey get power... this one definitely has ESN written all over it.

goatgoat093:

I very much doubt fulani herdsmen have the logistics or motive to carry out such attack in the city, na for inside remote village Fulani dey get power... this one definitely has ESN written all over it.

What sort of logistics are you talking about? Remember Fulanis dominate the police and the military. Moreover why would ESN attack innocent Hausas?

AdaugoChisom:
Oluwamarc posted news happening in Owerri without source, why?

Punch newspaper

They just want to create chaos and probably war


Why kill a Hausa Suya seller, when Fulanis are your enemies

Suya sellers don't have shops. What do they need shops for. Suya sellers don't stay together in one location.
They spread themselves to avoid competition with one another.
Secondly orlu is very big, so where in orlu.
Thirdly afor umaka market cannot still be open by 8.30 p.m. even at that majority in the market are lgbos and the shops are not as many and its not such a big market so why are they still in the market by 8.30p.m.
lastly what happened to all the military and police checkpoints deployed to check esn in orlu. The news is fake because originally it was claimed 2 suya sellers shot dead, sahara claimed 4, bbc says 12, now punch says 7. Sahara says it was in njaba, bbc says afochukwu, punch says umaka market

I don't trust this people from up nirth

I don't trust this people from up north.

they might actually be d one. Just to find every reason for attacking those in those traders in their place

History555:
Suya sellers don't have shops. What do they need shops for. Suya sellers don't stay together in one location.
They spread themselves to avoid competition with one another.
Secondly orlu is very big, so where in orlu.
Thirdly afor umaka market cannot still be open by 8.30 p.m. even at that majority in the market are lgbos and the shops are not as many and its not such a big market so why are they still in the market by 8.30p.m.
lastly what happened to all the military and police checkpoints deployed to check esn in orlu. The news is fake because originally it was claimed 2 suya sellers shot dead, sahara claimed 4, bbc says 12, now punch says 7. Sahara says it was in njaba, bbc says afochukwu, punch says umaka market

bro please don't mind them. How come correspondent is hausa, eyewitness is hausa, spokesman to the governor is hausa na only them know about the incident. No other person from the locality to corroborate their evidence.
Again, they kill on Friday by 8pm and others still came to sell the following day and were also killed. Let them keep stirring up crisis

It's unfortunate we don't have president in Nigeria but presidency.

This is not a good news at all
I noticed that IPOB were not celebrating this news the way they celebrate other UGM killings.

Fake news, not a reputable source

peacekante:
What have we done to IPOB in south? Why killing innocent people like HERDSMEN and boko haram?

No innocent northerner.

peacekante:
What have we done to IPOB in south? Why killing innocent people like HERDSMEN and boko haram?

Who told you the attackers were Ipob ?
But you guy tagged them terrorists why are u complaining? Ipob was only carrying flags and sang. They were killed in thousands and.tagged.terrprists

k

It's time for the APC to resign from power , they clearly don't have plans for anything ....Such meaningless killings are nothing but evil ..leave innocent suya men alone . SUYA men are one of the paramount glues of unity we have in Nigeria, they are the best ambassadors of the north on earth !!!!!!!

Murder is bad but the FG usually look away when fulani herdsmen kill defenceless Nigerians and even arrest the victims for resisting. Let them give everyone a level playing field and also arrest all suya sellers in Imo who resist these attacks.