Four security personnel were killed in a bloody shootout at a disputed land in Mbaishii, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
The officers were part of the personnel guarding the disputed land, a long-standing source of contention among the Mbashisi communities (comprising six communities), the Zion Ministry, and state government.
According to eyewitnesses, the officers had an altercation, which escalated into the shootout, claiming the lives and leaving others seriously injured.
They said: “It was a chaotic scene, with officers shooting at each other indiscriminately.
“The incident is believed to have been triggered by a disagreement over the sharing of proceeds from their paymaster, Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his Zion Ministry.”
The incident has left many residents in shock.
“In a bid to apprehend the trigger-happy cop and stop him from further killings, more officers lost their lives in the incident until he was overpowered and allegedly shot too,” the source said.
It was learnt that the Zion Ministry is set to start a four-day crusade in the area next week, and this incident has raised concerns about security arrangements for the event.
Police sources denied involvement, while the Department of State Security (DSS) claimed the number of casualties was lower. “We don’t talk on the phone, but the number of casualties is lower,” said Director of Operations, Ikechi Ogbonna.
