SaharaReporters gathered that the incident caused apprehension in the area and grounded commercial activities.
Some gunmen reportedly killed five policemen and a couple at Okpala Junction in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria on Friday.
The couple identified as Mr and Mrs Chinaka Nwagu reportedly hailed from Amankwo Okpala community where the incident took place.
SaharaReporters gathered that the incident caused apprehension in the area and grounded commercial activities.
A source who identified himself as Uche and a relation of the couple told journalists that the slain policemen were eating when they were shot and killed.
He said three of them were shot dead at the scene and the remaining two fled to a nearby shop where the assailants killed them.
Uche said the assailants also “killed the couple who owned the shop they ran into" and left with the rifles of the officers.
He said, "It is Black Friday in our community. Gunmen around 8 am shot five policemen dead at Okpala junction. The policemen drove in a white-coloured Hilux from Aboh Mbaise division to eat at the junction.
“As they were eating, gunmen drove to the place and opened fire on them. Two out of the five policemen ran to a nearby shop where a couple sold meat pie and sachet water.
“After killing the three policemen, they came to the shop where the two other officers were hiding and killed them. They also killed the husband and wife that owned the shop.
“They took away their rifles and drove off. This is so unfortunate. Our community is bleeding. Everybody is confused. The couple just relocated from Lagos about one year ago.
“We just deposited their bodies in a mortuary. The market is shut. People have run away out of shock and fear. This is unbelievable.”
When contacted, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, saying that the state police command was on top of the matter.
He said the command had deployed operatives to the community and its environs to ensure the arrest of the killers.
Okoye added that an investigation into the tragic incident had commenced.
He urged the people of the community and members of the public to go about their normal business, saying the police have restored normalcy to the area.