Eight residents, including security personnel, lost their lives on Saturday after gunmen launched a deadly attack on Abacheke community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, Imo State.

According to locals, the attackers emerged from nearby bushes and targeted a security checkpoint within the community. They opened sustained gunfire that lasted several minutes, killing people at the checkpoint and others caught nearby. Community sources said the assailants also burned roughly six houses during the raid before retreating into the forest.

“It felt like a war zone. When the shooting stopped, about eight people were dead,” one resident said. Another noted that panic has gripped Abacheke, with many families abandoning their homes out of fear of a follow-up attack.

The reason behind the assault remains unconfirmed. Some accounts tied it to illegal oil bunkering activities common in Ohaji/Egbema, while other residents suggested it could be related to the sit-at-home order observed by pro-Biafra groups to mark Biafra Day. Security agencies have not verified any link.

The Imo State Police Command has sent additional operatives to the area to restore calm. Police spokesperson DSP Henry Okoye was yet to release an official statement when this report was filed.

Community leaders are now urging the government to boost security in Ohaji/Egbema, saying attacks on checkpoints and homes have become too frequent.