By Chinonso Alozie

Owerri – Soldiers and Unidentified gunmen Tuesday night engaged in a gun battle that lasted for over 2 hours, at a military checkpoint at the Aba branch in Ehime Mbano Council Area of Imo state.

An eyewitness from the scene disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri.

According to the viral video, which saw vehicles said to belong to the soldiers were set ablaze as well as stains of blood along the road where the incident happened.

Another eyewitness who didn’t introduce himself and who filmed the gun battle described it as an “October movement.”

He further said: “We have sacked them. It used to be the Ehime Mbano local government headquarters and they turned it into an Army camp. We have sacked them. This is our land. They should leave it for us.”

At the time of filing this report, it was not clear the number of casualties. Also whether the casualties were on the side of the soldiers or that of the gunmen.

Also, tension has engulfed the communities as villagers were said to be on the run to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Some were said to be travelling to Owerri to seek refuge while others moved to neighbouring council areas to take cover.

The Imo State Police Public Relations Officers, PPRO, Henry Okoye was yet to respond to the enquiry.

However, it should be recalled that on October 1, 2024, gunmen attacked and set ablaze the study centre of the National Open University, NOUN, in the same Ehime Mbano Council Area of Imo state. They destroyed the buildings and office equipment among others.