Six people were reportedly killed and one other injured as a combined team of soldiers and operatives of the Ebubeagu security outfit raided the Umutanzi community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
It was gathered that the invaders stormed the rural community about 4am on Thursday and shot sporadically.
This allegedly caused panic as residents ran out of their homes, with some sustaining injuries in the process.
A resident and pastor of a local church, Pastor Anthony Akatta, told our correspondent that the siege lasted more than seven hours.
He said they left with some youths who are still unaccounted for.
He said: “It was around 4am yesterday (Thursday) that Ebubeagu and some military personnel came to our village, Umutanzi, in Orlu council.
“They blocked all roads leading to the community, killed six people while one person sustained injuries.
Police spokesman Mike Abattam could not be reached for comments.
But the spokesperson of the 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, Capt. Joseph Akubo, confirmed the raid.
Akubo said soldiers were not involved in the incident, but the operation was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
He added: “I heard of the incident, but soldiers were not involved. It was the men of DSS. You can call them and confirm.”
There have been clashes between security agencies and communities in Orlu and Orsu, said to be strongholds of men of the Eastern Security Network, the security wing of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Many youths have been abducted and many more killed since the invasion started early this year when the state government invited the military to checkmate them.
