Unidentified gunmen have beheaded a man and his wife, both personnel of the Nigerian Army, in Imo State.
It was gathered that the gunmen raped the wife in the presence of her husband before beheading them.
The assailants also made a video recording of the dastardly act which they posted on social media before calling the families of their victims to mock them.
A military officer who confirmed the incident to newsmen on the condition of anonymity, said it happened on Saturday as the couple were on their way to the state for their traditional marriage rites when they were waylaid and killed.
“They were on their way to Imo State on Saturday when the incident happened. The man, a Master Warrant Officer A. M. Linus, 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,” the officer said.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, who also confirmed the incident, said the Army was investigating it.
Nwachukwu in a statement on the incident on Monday, vowed that no stone would be left unturned to ensure that those who committed the crime were brought to book.
“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,” the Army spokesman said.
