Dark Monday in Anambra as unknown gunmen attack LG headquarters, kill 5, set 4 vehicles ablaze
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Unknown gunmen have reportedly attached Ogbaru Local Government secretariat in Atani, Anambra State, setting four patrol vehicles of the local vigilante group ablaze this weekend.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, CP, in the State , Mr. Nnaghe Obono Itam, condemned the morning attack by armed arsonists which resulted in the destruction of the vehicles, describing it as an act of cowardice even as there were no casualties.
Preliminary information indicated that the assailants, arriving in large numbers on motorcycles and a vehicle, began shooting indiscriminately but faced strong resistance from the Vigilante Operatives until the police response team arrived.
“Due to the superior firepower of the security operatives, the gunmen fled the scene. Unfortunately, four operational vehicles of the security operatives were engulfed in flames and severely damaged,” the CP stated.
In response to this incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations led a joint security force comprising the Army, Navy, and other security agencies to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, (SP), “Ongoing onslaught operations are being carried out to apprehend the culprits.
“The Commissioner of Police commends the security operatives for their bravery and assures the public of continued and strengthened collaboration in the fight against criminal elements in the State. Further developments will be communicated as they arise,” he stated.
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Five persons have been allegedly killed in Nnewi and Nnobi following a gun battle between security operatives and hoodlums said to be gun men in the communities.
Sources disclosed this on Monday, saying the gun men firstly stormed Nnewi and headed towards Nnobi
It was gathered that some security operatives gave the gun men a chase of their lives in Nnewi leading to their leaving through Nnewi -Ichi route.
On reaching Nnewi Ichi, the gun men were said to have seen some vigilante men chasing after them and waited for them
Sources said that the hoodlums opened fire on the vigilante men and in the process shot down one security man and another unidentified person before veering towards Onyibo Junction at Nnobi in a bid to escape uncaught
At Onyibo Junction, Nnobi the hoodlums were said to have seen another group of security operatives blocking their way.
According to sources the bad guys waited at the transformer close to the junction where they and the security operatives opened fire on each other and in the process shot persons including a child of about nine years who was said to be going on errand and two women, of who one of them was said to be a newly married woman who was returning from the garden carrying a basket of bitter kola on her head with stray bullets.
Sources said there was no incidents at Nnobi Junction when the fleeing hoodlums reached there but only fired shots to scare street traders away from the road
However, on reaching, Awka-Etiti the gunmen allegedly abducted an unidentified man travelling on a jeep, pushed down his wife and fled with the vehicle.
According to vigilante sources at Nnewi, (names with held) there was intelligence report that some hoodlums were heading towards Nnobi. This made those operatives stationed at Authority Radio FM Nnewi to mobilize themselves against the hoodlums. The source added that when they found out that they had only five bullets left, they retreated while others stayed behind.
The sources said their commamder, identified as Eloka Onyejekwe was shot dead while the driver of the vigilante vehicle was shot on his legs, adding that several others were wounded in the attack that ensued between them.
The PPRO Anambra State police command, Ikenga Tochukwu confirmed the story saying information reaching him at press time was still sketchy promising to go on air when he had got the whole information.
“I have been made aware of the incident . The information is still sketchy. As soon as I get the whole information I will go to air”, the PPRO said.
Six persons have been reported killed and several others injured as suspected Fulani herdsmen launched an attack on villagers in Maraba Azagwa and Alele all of Maihula, Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Sources disclosed that a fulani herdsman who was overtaken by the dangerous drugs he took at Maihula, a village market, eventually died on the way while struggling to get back to his abode.
The relatives of the deceased who later recovered his corpse, accused the villagers of being responsible for the death of their brother.
They therefore, mobilized and swiftly embarked on the bloody attack which claimed six lives and left several other persons with various degrees of injury.
The Chairman, Taraba State Tiv Traditional Council, Zaki David Gbaa, in a telephone interview, identified those killed as, Aondohemba Salemkaan, Tersuugh Dondo, Terkuma Mbatim, Kumaga Ujam Asaaga Nev and Tersoo Memga.
He lauded the security operatives for their quick intervention to calm the situation, called on the bereaved to leave vengeance to God and the necessary authorities in the state.
He expressed confidence that the culprits would eventually be arrested by security agencies and prosecuted, especially as all of them live in the community and could easily be identified by the deceased wives
A brother to one of the victims who was strangled by the assailants, Mr Tarvihi Adega, cried out to the government of the state to come to their aid, especially that life was not as easy as it used to be.
“The death of these persons is pathetic and quite unfortunate. I want to appeal to the state government and spirited individuals to come to the aid of the families of the victims and those receiving treatments in the hospital to make life meaningful for us again
“I want to tell you that nobody envisaged this calamity. My brother and the rest of the other victims were completely ignorant of what killed them. They were in their houses relaxing after Sunday service when the attackers came. I believed they all thought it was a usual visit because we relate with each other freely here. That is why you see that all of them were strangled. They were not killed by gunshots.
“My brother has six children who are in school. He sponsors them through his farm produce and you can see that his death has automatically increased my responsibilities. I believe the situation is similar with the other victims. If the government will come to our aid, it will alleviate much of our fears”. Adega lamented.
He further disclosed that the remains of all the victims of the attack were deposited in a mortuary at Maihula, Bali LGA while those injured were receiving treatments in different locations
Though our reporter could not reach out to the chairman of the Local Government Area, Hon Aboki Dauda Dakka as all his lines were switched off, as of the time of going to press, the State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Gambo Kwache, confirmed the attack on a telephone interview. She however said only two corps were recovered by the police
Gambo noted that no arrest has been made so far but security operatives had to comb the area and “efforts are on top gear to bring the culprits to book”.
