On Monday, gunmen attacked a community in Anambra State, killing three persons suspected to be members of the local vigilante and burning their vehicle.
This shocking incident happened in Ukpo, located in Dunukofia Local Government Area. Seven other people were hurt during the attack. The President General of the Ukpo community and another vigilante reportedly escaped with bullet wounds.
The gunmen also moved on to Abatete community in Idemili North LGA, where one person was reported dead.
Eyewitnesses spoke of the chaotic scene during the incident. One said the gunmen “came out of nowhere, firing their guns and making people run for safety.” Another said the gunmen were heard shouting “No Biafra, No Freedom”’ while shooting sporadically.
The trouble started at the Ukpo roundabout when the attackers targeted a Toyota Sienna minibus carrying vigilante members.
The gunmen are suspected to be hoodlums trying to enforce a Sit-at-Home order every Monday from the secessionist group, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). IPOB vehemently denies it gave such an order.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident and said the police is “investigating what happened.”
Governor Chukwuma Soludo recently ordered markets to defy the order and open for business. Some trusted the government and ventured out before the attack.
Condemnation And Solution
Senator Tony Nwoye, representing the affected senatorial zone at the National Assembly, said the attack was “senseless” and “a cowardly attempt to create fear in our communities.“
“This act resulted in lost lives and destroyed vehicles. We cannot harm our people while demanding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release,” he said. The senator acknowledged the pain about Kanu’s detention but added, “Violence only leads to more suffering.“
Nwoye urged South East leaders to come together and make a strong representation to President Bola Tinubu to release IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu. He has been incarcerated since 2021 despite court rulings ordering his release.
Previous appeals by leaders of the region to the past and current presidents to release Kanu have gone unheard. Many believe the government’s refusal to release Kanu is fuelling the unrest, making the South East less competitive and less attractive for business and investments.
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