Chaos erupted in Owerri the capital of Imo State after Mr. and Mrs. Sampson Owobo a retired Policeman and wife was brutally murdered by three unidentified shooters on Sunday night.
According to information obtained by Gistlover, Mr. Owobo, a retired assistant superintendent of police from the state of Edo, was shot and killed alongside his wife at around 8 p.m. next to the Chisco Transport office, which is located not far from the Owerri Area police command office, which also serves as the home of the Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters in the state capital of Owerri.
Residents hurried inside to shut any doors leading to their flats, while businesspeople secured their establishments and fled to their homes.
The PUNCH was informed by an eyewitness that the fleeing armed men, who were traveling in a car, were attempting to take the couple’s bag containing the undisclosed sum of money from them.
According to the eyewitness, after failing to steal the bag of cash, the assailants shot the retired ASP in the forehead at close range and his wife in the left side of her body, close to her chest.
While the husband dead right there, the couple’s wife was taken by police to the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri where she was later pronounced dead.
He said, “Three armed men just killed a husband and his wife. This incident happened close to the Chisco Transport company office, which is very close to Owerri Police Area command headquarters and Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters, at the fire Service on Egbu Road-Owerri.
“The armed robbers were carrying pump action riffles and were trying to carry a bag containing money. The husband and wife run a POS business and also sell loaves of bread. When they could not succeed in carrying the bag of money, they shot the couple on closed ranges.
“They shot the man on a closed range at his forehead, closed to his eyes. They shot his wife on a close range too, at her left-hand side, very close to her chest. While the man died immediately, his wife, who was bleeding profusely, was pronounced dead at FMC-Owerri.
“The man’s name is Sampson Owobo. He hailed from Edo State. He is a retired police officer. He retired with the rank of ASP. He retired about five years ago or so.
“The armed robbers fled and haven’t been caught. This is so bad. This crime happened very close to the Owerri fire service police area command headquarters and the Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters.”
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said that the police in the state were on the trail of the fleeing suspects.
“The murder of the couple is highly condemnable. The CP frowns at the killing of the couple, and he has immediately ordered an investigation into their killings with the mandate to apprehend the fleeing criminals.” Okoye said.
