The sit-at-home ordered by an unknown Igbo agitators group went bloody Friday evening when gunmen struck and butchered the commissioner for Solid mineral, Martins Eke, shot and killed a police man and as well, elder brother of popular actor Osita Iheme, popularly known as ‘Pawpaw’.
It was gathered that the gunmen enforcing the five days sit-at-home struck in different locations in the State. Prince Iheme, elder brother to the Nollywood actor was shot at Mbaitoli his hometown while riding in a same vehicle with the state Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Martin Eke who was butchered in the attack but still alive.
Eye witness said the gunmen who rode in Trundra operational vehicles shot indiscriminately forcing people to scamper for safety.
Also, at Orji, Owerri north council area, the gunmen wearing black clothes in three vehicles attacked residents and passersby, including policemen. The police man killed was said to have been shot at the 7Up junction ,Orji .
He said, “They just killed a policeman now. They opened fire on them and were shouting, ‘There is sit-at-home. We have asked you to go home. Stay indoors.’”
Another eyewitness said, “I just escaped death now. They stopped before us and shot in the air and asked us to go home. They didn’t shoot at us maybe because I was in the midst of some elderly women.”
“Prince Iheme was riding in the same vehicle with the commissioner for solid minerals. Prince Iheme who is Pawpaw’s elder brother was killed on the spot. The commissioner who was sworn in two weeks ago was cut badly. He has just been rushed to a hospital. They were driving in a Ford SUV. I pray he makes it.”
The police spokesman for the command, Michael Abattam, is yet to respond on the incident.