A couple who were personnel of the Nigerian Army have been murdered by yet-to-be-identified assailants in Imo State.
A military source told our correspondent that the woman was first raped before she was shot dead along with her fiancé.
The duo were later beheaded.
The source said the couple were travelling to the state to formalise their traditional marriage rites when the incident happened, adding that the criminals made a video of the incident and circulated it online.
The source said, “They were on their way to Imo State on Saturday when the incident happened. The man, a Master Warrant Officer, and the woman, a Lance Corporal, were on transit when they met the criminals who killed them and made videos and circulated online. The woman was raped before they shot at them and cut off their heads.
“The man was a member of the 19 regular intakes while the wife was of the 79RI. The man still has a father; his brother is also a soldier working at a battalion in Kaduna State.”
It’s so sad that we soldiers are no safer, the man was a member of the 19 regular intakes while the wife was of the 79RI.
“They were on their way to Imo state on Saturday when the incident happened. You won’t believe these gunmen as we speak still used their phones to make calls to their family members, making jest of them and threatening to kill them as well.
“This couple just married recently, even their photoshoot caused a lot of criticism and seems they were punished for it.
“Though the man is married to another woman with grown-up kids, he suddenly eloped with this young soldier, I was told the girl also had kids before joining the army as well.
“The man still has a father, his brother is also a soldier working at a battalion in Kaduna. The lady was also raped before they were beheaded,” a soldier told SaharaReporters.
Attacks by armed men have increased in the South-East in recent times. The attacks often target security agencies and government facilities.
The latest development comes a few hours after gunmen invaded a military checkpoint in Agulu, Anaocha LGA of Anambra state on Saturday and opened fire on soldiers, killing one in the process.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an outlawed group, has been linked to the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
The leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for treason.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident, adding that the Army was investigating it.
He vowed that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that those who committed the crime were brought to book.
He said, “I have received information about the cold-blooded murder of two of our personnel who were travelling home for their traditional wedding formalities.
“This is a dastardly act unleashed on our personnel by some criminals. The Nigerian Army has commenced investigations to unmask and bring to book the criminals behind the murder.”
