Two civilians said to be MTN workers were reportedly shot dead by gunmen alongside two civil defence officers in Imo State.
Telecommunication company, MTN Nigeria, has debunked a report that two of its officials were among those killed by gunmen in a recent attack in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the gunmen, on Monday, killed two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after ambushing them at Ekelsu Market, Obiangwu, a community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state.
An official of the NSCDC in the state said two other civilians said to be officials of the MTN Nigeria were also killed by the hoodlums during the attack.
But reacting in a statement on Tuesday which was made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the telecommunication company said none of its officials was killed in the state.
"Whilst we empathise with the grieving families and the NSCDC affected by this tragic incident, we wish to correct the reports that two MTN officials were also killed in the incident. We can confirm that no MTN officials were hurt during the incident," the statement read in part.
The company said it was "deeply saddened" by the killing of the NSCDC personnel and two others killed in the attack, but that they were not its employees.
"MTN Nigeria remains committed to the safety and security of our staff in all our operations across the country.
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"We place the utmost importance on the safety and security of our staff, customers, and the communities in which we operate, and will continue to work with relevant authorities in this regard," it added.
Worsening insecurity
Like other states in Nigeria's south-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons.
The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.
The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.
IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria
