SaharaReporters learned that the assault, which took place between late Friday night and the early hours of Saturday, also claimed the lives of an unconfirmed number of civilians and sparked widespread panic across the oil-rich community.
By SaharaReporters
Heavily armed hoodlums, suspected to be members of an oil bunkering cartel, have reportedly killed an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS) and left two others critically injured in a deadly attack on a security base in Abacheke community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
SaharaReporters learned that the assault, which took place between late Friday night and the early hours of Saturday, also claimed the lives of an unconfirmed number of civilians and sparked widespread panic across the oil-rich community.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the attackers stormed a forward operational base manned by DSS operatives and engaged them in a fierce gun battle.
A security source told SaharaReporters that one DSS operative was killed during the exchange of fire, while two others sustained serious injuries.
“It happened in the early hours of Saturday, the forward operational base of the DSS was attacked by bandits. They responded and engaged them in a gun duel,” the source said.
“In the process, one of their personnel was killed. Two others sustained injuries. Apart from the two others who sustained injury, some civilians were also killed. There were civilian casualties. The incident did not involve the police.”
Although the exact number of casualties remains uncertain, local reports suggest that as many as eight people may have been killed in the attack, including the slain DSS operative.
Some accounts also alleged that the assailants set several houses ablaze during the assault, further heightening tension across the community.
Abacheke, in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, is one of the state’s oil-rich communities and has long been a flashpoint for clashes involving illegal oil bunkering syndicates, security forces, and rival criminal groups.
A resident, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said many locals believe the attack was linked to disputes over illegal oil bunkering operations in the area.
According to the resident, the attackers were suspected to be involved in illicit crude oil trade and may have targeted the DSS operatives in retaliation for enforcement actions against oil theft.
“The attack involved security operatives and oil bunkering businessmen over money payments,” the resident alleged.
“You know, oil bunker operators usually pay money to security agencies to continue their business. But even after payments are made, there are still raids, property destruction, and arrests. That’s why many of us believe this attack was more about disputes over payments.”
SaharaReporters could not independently verify the resident’s claims regarding alleged payments or ties between oil bunkering operators and security personnel.
The attack has heightened fears among locals, many of whom have fled the community amid concerns of possible reprisals or renewed violence.
Community sources said businesses were largely deserted on Saturday as residents stayed indoors while security operatives stepped up surveillance in the area.
The incident underscores the worsening insecurity across parts of the Niger Delta, where illegal crude oil refining and theft continue to fuel violent clashes between criminal networks and security agencies.
Oil-rich communities in Imo, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states have repeatedly witnessed deadly confrontations linked to the lucrative illicit trade, which authorities say causes massive economic losses to Nigeria.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain official comments from the DSS were unsuccessful, as calls to relevant officials went unanswered.
Similarly, the spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, SP Henry Okoye, could not be reached, with calls to his mobile phone failing to connect.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the DSS nor any other security agency had issued an official statement on the attack, the casualty figures, or measures being taken to apprehend those responsible.
The assault comes amid ongoing security operations in Imo State, where agencies have been battling criminal groups, armed gangs, and oil bunkering syndicates entrenched in remote communities and forested areas.
