TheCable

The Imo state police command on Saturday said but for its intervention, the inter-ethnic clash which broke out at Akokwa community in Ideato local government area of the state, would have escalated.

Andrew Enwerem, police public relations officer (PPRO), said the command became aware of the incident not too long after it happened, and that the commissioner of police deployed anti-riot policemen in the community.

Enwerem said only three persons were killed, adding that some others sustained injuries.

He explained that an unidentified man, said to be from the northern part of Nigeria, had run amok and killed a girl and a woman before killing himself.

He said immediately some aggrieved youths went for reprisal attacks.

“Report to police showed that a yet to be identified northerner ran amok at Akokwa community and used weapons to attack and kill a girl and a woman, and thereafter killed himself,” he said.

Enwerem said the problem had been brought under control, with normalcy restored.

A witness had told NAN that the girl killed was hawking snacks when her attacker suddenly chased her till she ran to an elderly woman for protection.

The witness added that the man attacked both the girl and the woman with shovel.