By Vincent Ujumadu

OWERRI—Gunmen have allegedly killed two soldiers at an unknown location in Imo State, a policeman, two brothers and two others in Anambra State.

The victims, A. M. Linus, said to be a sergeant of the Nigerian Army, and his unidentified wife, said to be a Lance Corporal were reportedly beheaded after being shot dead by the gunmen.

Their corpses were said to have been dismembered by the gunmen. A gory image of their heads has gone viral on various social media platforms.

A phone conversation with the suspected gunmen, believed to have been initiated by a friend to the slain female soldier, has surfaced online.

In the phone conversation, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, a suspected gunman admitted that he killed the couple.

The gunman said they were aggrieved that the military has been consistently killing innocent residents in efforts to attack them (gunmen).

“It’s quite unfortunate that it is this way. I killed both of them yesterday,” the suspected gunman was heard saying in the phone conversation.

As the caller burst into tears after hearing that her friend and her husband had been killed by the gunmen, the gunman was heard making a joke of her.

Confirming the attack yesterday, Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, said military authorities have received information about the killing of two of their personnel.

Nwachukwu said the military personnel were travelling for their “traditional marriage formalities” in Imo State when they were attacked by the gunmen.

“This is a very dastardly act unleashed on our personnel by some criminals,” he said in a text message in response to enquiry on the incident.

The army spokesperson said authorities of the Nigerian Army had commenced investigations “to unmask and bring to book the criminals behind the murder.”

Policeman, 4 others killed in Anambra

Meanwhile, gunmen, yesterday, killed a policeman, two brothers and one other unidentified person at the notorious Ukpor/Ozubulu axis of Anambra State.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident said the state police command received information of two lifeless bodies on the Nnewi/Ozubulu Road, yesterday, adding that the command’s operatives quickly went there and recovered the two bodies.

According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that one of them was a policeman, while the identity of the other victim was yet to be established.

“We also recovered a Toyota Camry car allegedly belonging to one of the deceased. Operatives are there and the situation is being monitored. For now, that is the much we know,” he said.

It was gathered that the gunmen unleashed mayhem in the area in the early hours of yesterday, sending panic to the community.

It was also gathered that the two brothers were killed at Ukpor, the headquarters of Nnewi South LGA of the state, while the other two were murdered on the Udorji Road, beside St. Mary’s Church, Ozubulu, in Ekwusigo LGA.

The siblings were identified as Godwin Modobi and Nnajiofor Modobi, who hailed from Umuhu village in Ukpor.

An indigene of the area said: “Godwin was a direct younger brother to Nnajiofor, who is a former youth leader in the community.

“The gunmen first killed Nnajiofor right in their family house when they invaded their home in the early hours of today (Monday), after which they blindfolded and abducted the younger brother, who they eventually killed close to Utuh Junction and dumped his corpse at the centre of the road.”