Imo: Residents flay Army over alleged arbitrary killings

Residents of Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday came down heavily on the Nigerian Army, especially those manning the Government House area, accusing the military of arbitrary killing of residents that posed no security risk to the society. This was as the people lamented that the same soldiers and policemen had been unable to stamp out the activities of the ‘unknown gunmen’ and suspected fifth columnists, which have infused the air of terror and apprehension to the once peaceful city. The accusation was coming on the heels of the killing of Divine Nwaneri, an undergraduate of the Imo State University, Owerri, who was shot by soldiers while she and her friends were driving around the Government House about 10p.m on Sunday. The students were said to have been shot by the army while they were heading to Irete, a suburban community of Owerri.