A fresh wave of bloodshed rocked Imo State on Sunday, August 4, as two police officers attached to the Majority Leader of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, were gunned down in a calculated ambush by unidentified gunmen in Okigwe. The chilling attack occurred after one of the vehicles in the lawmaker’s convoy reportedly broke down, forcing the officers to stay behind—unknowingly stepping into a death trap.
The convoy had been traveling through the troubled Okigwe axis when the mechanical issue occurred. As the lawmaker’s main vehicle moved ahead, the gunmen seized the opportunity, emerging from the nearby bush to unleash a sudden and deadly assault on the stranded officers. Both men were executed on the spot, leaving the community in shock and reigniting fears over the deteriorating security in the region.
Confirming the incident, Imo State Police Command spokesman Henry Okoye described the killings as “heinous and unacceptable,” vowing that no stone would be left unturned in hunting down the perpetrators. “These brave officers paid the supreme price protecting lives and public officials,” he stated, noting that tactical response teams had already been deployed to comb through surrounding forests in a full-scale manhunt.
Okigwe, notorious in recent years for escalating criminal activity, has been flagged repeatedly by security analysts as one of the deadliest zones in Imo. From kidnappings to targeted political attacks, the area has remained a ticking time bomb. Sunday’s ambush adds to a growing list of tragedies that highlight the urgent need for federal-level security intervention in Imo North.
Despite public outcry, residents say the government’s response has been largely reactive. “We only see security when someone dies. It’s always too little, too late,” lamented Chika Obasi, a local community leader. Others argue that this attack—coming just days after the CJID ranked Imo as the most dangerous state for journalists—proves that insecurity is not only persistent but worsening.
Lawmakers across the South-East have begun calling for the use of drone surveillance and community policing in notorious hotspots. Hon. Ikoro, though visibly shaken, issued a statement through his media aide demanding immediate justice for the slain officers, whom he described as “dedicated patriots who died in active service for democracy.”
With public confidence in the state’s security architecture nearing rock bottom, the killings have sparked fierce debate over the protection of public servants and frontline officers. As condolences pour in, pressure mounts on Imo State and federal authorities to step up and end the spiral of bloodshed.
