At least 30 travellers were killed in a brutal attack in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo state, Amnesty International confirmed on Friday, reigniting concerns over growing violence in the region plagued by insecurity.
The attackers, suspected to be members of the separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), set ablaze more than 20 vehicles, including trucks, during the assault.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, with gunmen reportedly operating in three separate groups, blocking the highway and firing indiscriminately before setting vehicles on fire.
Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye confirmed the incident but declined to comment on the number of casualties.
He added that one of the attackers was killed by police during the confrontation.
“A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding,” Okoye said in a statement.
Amnesty International condemned the attack and called for a thorough investigation.
The group urged Nigerian authorities to bring those responsible to justice and hold them accountable for their actions.
IPOB, which has long advocated for the secession of southeastern Nigeria home to the Igbo ethnic group has been accused of increasing violent acts in the region.
The Nigerian government has labeled IPOB a terrorist organization.
Thursday’s attack occurred amidst heightened tensions in the region, coinciding with a visit by President Bola Tinubu to southeastern Nigeria.
It also came just days after IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu appeared in court, facing terrorism charges.
The attack is the latest in a series of incidents highlighting the fragile security situation in southeastern Nigeria, a region still scarred by the bloody Biafra civil war in the late 1960s that claimed over one million lives.
As Nigeria grapples with increasing unrest, authorities have vowed to intensify security efforts to curb the growing threat posed by IPOB and other militant groups.
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