The gunmen after killing Ihim, who is popularly known as Zako, kidnapped five other chieftains of the ruling party in the community.
Community sources told our correspondent on Wednesday that the attackers shot repeatedly through the night making the villagers flee.
Apart from killing and kidnapping the APC chieftains, the gunmen also invaded a neighbouring community called Okwelle and also kidnapped a female member of the APC identified as Onyinyechi Egenti.
The slain chairman is said to be a former aide of the immediate past national Organising secretary of APC, Emma Ibediro.
One of the sources told The PUNCH that the community has been deserted.
A source said, “The ward chairman of APC in Umuchoke Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area has been killed. Apart from killing him they also kidnapped five APC members in the community. They also went to the Okwelle community and kidnapped an APC female member known as Onyinyechi Egenti. Our community is on the run now. They shot like it was a war period.”
Our correspondent recalls that gunmen had on December 15 killed the Labour Party candidate for the Onuimo LGA state House of Assembly election, Christopher Elehu, popularly known as Wasco, after they set ablaze his country home in Okwe community.
Also, gunmen have kidnapped two community leaders in Ogbaku in the Mbaitoli LGA of the state.
The abduction of the two community leaders had put the community in a state of confusion.
The victims were identified as Fidelis Nwaebele and Kelechi Iherizie.
A source in the community who craved anonymity said, “They came around 7 pm. They drove to Fidelis Nwaebele house, released several gunshots and caught him. They later proceeded to Kelechi Iherizie’s shop surrounded him and caught him too.”
When contacted, the Imo State Police Command spokesperson, Henry Okoye, promised to get back to our correspondent after enquiries but was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
The killing came a few days after the Sole Administrator of the Ideato North LGA, Chris Ohizu, was kidnapped and beheaded after his abductors collected N6 million ransom.
