Three gunmen on Sunday night shot dead a couple identified as Mr and Mrs Sampson Owobo in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Our correspondent gathered that Owobo who hailed from Edo State was a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police.

The incident which happened around 8 pm beside the Chisco Transport company office very close to the Owerri Area police command office which also houses the Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters at Egbu Road-Owerri, the state capital, threw the residents and business owners into confusion.

While the residents immediately ran inside and locked all entries leading to their apartments, business people locked their shops and ran home.

An eyewitness who does not want to mention said that the fleeing armed robbers who operated in a vehicle were trying to dispossess the couple who run a Point Of Sale business and their bag containing the unidentified amount of money.

The distraught eyewitness said that when the three-man gang could not succeed in snatching the bag of money, they shot the retired ASP a close range at his forehead, close to his eyes.

His wife was also shot at her left-hand side, close to her chest at a closed range.

While the husband died on the spot, his wife was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, by policemen where she was pronounced dead.

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He said, “Three armed men just killed a husband and his wife. This incident happened close to the Chisco Transport company office which is very close to Owerri Police Area command headquarters and Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters, at the fire Service on Egbu Road-Owerri.

“The armed robbers were carrying pump action riffles and were trying to carry a bag containing money. The husband and wife run a POS business and also sell loaves of bread. When they could not succeed in carrying the bag of money, they shot the couple on closed ranges.

“They shot the man on a closed range at his forehead, closed to his eyes. They shot his wife on a close range too, at her left-hand side, very close to her chest. While the man died immediately, his wife who was bleeding profusely was pronounced dead at FMC-Owerri.

“The man’s name is Sampson Owobo. He hailed from Edo State. He is a retired police officer. He retired with the rank of ASP. He retired about five years ago or so.

“The armed robbers fled and haven’t been caught. This is so bad. This crime happened very close to the Owerri fire service police area command headquarters and the Owerri Urban Police Divisional headquarters.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, confirmed the murder of the couple and disclosed that the police in the state were on the trail of the fleeing suspects.

“The murder of the couple is highly condemnable. The CP frowns at the killing of the couple and he has immediately ordered an investigation into their killings with the mandate to apprehend the fleeing criminals.” Okoye said.