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The capital of Imo State, Owerri, experienced an unexpected calm, as a heavy rainstorm on Thursday resulted in deserted streets, enveloping the city in an unusual stillness, a departure from its typical dynamic pace.
Fear of violence kept residents of Owerri indoors, as they defied calls for protests following a string of shootings that had left the city on edge, choosing prudence over public demonstration.
An unsettling calm pervaded Owerri, as major streets and roads were empty and silent, with no human or vehicular movements, creating a surreal landscape.
With worries of a prolonged protest gripping the community, residents converged on the World Bank market, frantically purchasing goods, seeking to prepare for a potential shutdown of trading activities and ensure their well-being.
Owerri has been plagued by a wave of violence since Monday, with a shooting spree claiming the lives of at least seven individuals, including four members of the police force, leaving the city reeling in chaos.
Read also: Imo Guber: Owerri Zone Births New Political Force
Fleeing gunmen had on Monday shot dead four policemen and a POS operator along Irete.
On Tuesday, gunmen shot dead a young man at Amawire, close to Imo State University junction and set ablaze a refuse disposal truck belonging to the Eastern Waste Management Agency.
This is even as a man was gunned down at Nwaoreubi by fleeing gunmen.
The situation took a dark turn on Wednesday, as intense shootings erupted across the state, triggering a mass flight of residents, who streamed out of their homes and neighborhoods in search of safety and security.
Violence flared at multiple hotspots, including Fire Service Junction, World Bank market, and Okigwe Road by the Owerri Correctional Centre, as heavy shootings triggered a frantic scramble for safety among terrified residents.
According to sources, inmates at the Owerri Correctional Centre were reportedly ecstatic, mistakenly believing that the heavy shootings and chaos outside would lead to a jailbreak and their eventual freedom.