Tragedy struck along the Okigwe–Umuna highway in Imo
State over the weekend as gunmen ambushed the convoy of the Chief Medical
Director (CMD) of the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri (FUTHO), Dr.
Kingsley Achigbu, killing a Department of State Services (DSS) operative and
injuring three police officers.
Sources close to the family revealed that the attack
occurred last Saturday while the CMD and his family were returning from Enugu.
The gunmen reportedly opened fire on the convoy, targeting security personnel.
“One of the three injured police officers was rushed
into emergency surgery shortly after the attack,” a family source told
*Vanguard* on Monday.
The DSS officer, who was attached to the CMD’s office
for protective duty, died on the spot. It remains unclear whether the
assailants were targeting the CMD or if the attack was a random act of banditry
along one of Imo’s increasingly volatile routes.
The family of Dr. Achigbu narrowly escaped the attack
unharmed, though shaken.
Security agencies have yet to issue an official
statement on the incident, but the brazen nature of the attack has renewed
concerns over rising insecurity across Imo and the South-East region.
The Okigwe–Umuna axis, where the assault occurred, has
become notorious for deadly ambushes, kidnappings, and armed robberies in
recent months, despite repeated operations by security forces.
The incident adds to growing fears over the safety of
government officials and medical professionals in volatile zones, particularly
at a time when the healthcare sector is battling both human capital flight and
physical insecurity.
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