Gunmen kill many vigilantes in south-east Nigeria

 

Gunmen have killed several vigilantes in Oba, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, south-east Nigeria. A police operative was also reportedly killed in the attack.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the attack occurred on Sunday night.

How it happened

A resident of the community, who asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES that the gunmen, who were operating in two Toyota Hilux pickup trucks, invaded a nightclub known as Porsche in the area.

He said the attackers had planned to abduct the proprietor of the nightclub but were resisted by the vigilantes and a police officer attached to the facility.

They (the gunmen) got angry and started shooting the vigilante people and killing all of them. They also beheaded one of the vigilante people and cut off the leg of another vigilante member,” he said.

The resident was unsure of the number of the vigilantes killed by the attackers.

He, however, said at least nine of them, including a police operative, were killed by the hoodlums during the attack.

When contacted on Monday afternoon, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said the police in the state were alerted about the attack, but that the hoodlums had fled by the time some police operatives were drafted to the area.

“Our police officers have recovered the bodies of the vigilante operatives who were fatally wounded, while others sustained various degrees of injury,” he said.

The police spokesperson, however, did not confirm the number of vigilantes killed in the attack or whether a police officer was among those killed.

“We have equally deployed our men to Oba, and an operation is ongoing. So far, no arrest has been made,” Mr Ikenga stated.

Increased attacks

Security in Oba, like other communities in Anambra State, has deteriorated in recent times with frequent attacks by armed persons.

In July, gunmen abducted Chukwudozie Nwangwu, a popular native doctor, from his hotel in the community.

The gunmen also shot dead two of his security aides during the attack.

The native doctor was released by the gunmen about six days later after reportedly paying N300 million and an additional N50 million as ransom to his abductors.

The Nigerian government has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for some deadly attacks across the South-east, but the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is leading an agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.

=============

 

For More News or To Give Us Reports Join Our WhatsApp Group With This Link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CdPVxGOPHCI5Kd4ALZduZ7 ….