An gunmen on Saturday in Imo state, shot dead and then beheaded a couple who were operatives of the Nigerian army, while also given death threats to the families of the deceased.

SaharaReporters reports that sources from the military said, A.M Linus, a sergeant first class in the army and his lance corporal wife were on their way to Imo State when the horrific incident happened.

The reports revealed that after beheading the couple, the gunmen were said to have called their family members to mock them.

A gory video of the incident according to SaharaReporters showed the gunmen putting the heads on the victims’ chests after the incident.

Military source (name withheld) said,
“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.

Meanwhile, no official statement was fetched from the Nigerian Army or any security agencies concerning the incident.

Attacks by armed men have increased in the South-East in recent times. The attacks often target security agencies and government facilities.

The attacks on several occasions were linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but however, no group has come forward to claim responsibility for the murder of the military couple.