Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Residents of Anambra State were traumatized Monday, as unidentified gunmen enforcing the non-existent sit-at-home order by a dissenting group unleashed terror in series of attacks on innocent citizens.
Several attacks were recorded at different locations in the state on a day the majority of the residents sat back at their homes for fear of being harmed by the gunmen who had held the state and the entire South-East region hostage.
The unknown gunmen attacked traders at Nkwo market, a popular market in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, where they carted away wares of the traders in the market.
In a viral video posted on Facebook, the hoodlums stormed the market in the early hours of Monday and shot sporadically.
The gunshots prompted traders in the market to leave their wares and scamper for safety.
The source said: “The attackers were observed moving some food items including bags of rice, yams and others into their waiting vehicles.”
The source with feminine voice said the hoodlums set three motorcycles belonging to people who were in the market to make some purchase on fire before they drove away.”
The attack on the market came on the heels of a deadly attack on Sunday night that reportedly claimed the lives of two military officers.
The unidentified arsonists wielding guns and other ammunition reportedly stormed 3-3 Estate, Nkwelle Ezunaka, near Onitsha, Anambra State, where they engaged the military officers on their duty post in a gun duel.
A resident of the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “Yesterday night at the housing estate gate, gunmen attacked the military men securing us around 10pm. The attack lasted three hours. Two soldiers were killed. The incident threw the neighbourhood into panic as gunshots rent the air.”
“The shooting lasted late into the night, with bullets flying in the air, while expended shells dropped on roofs of residents in torrents.”
Ikengaonline reported earlier that the arsonists invaded Idemili North Local Government secretariat, Ogidi and a Magistrate Court in the area, setting the facilities on fire.
Sources close to the area said the arsonists entered the premises same Sunday night to perpetrate the act. It was reported that office files, furniture, and other items of property in the secretariat were all destroyed in the inferno.
Ikengaonline also noted that the entire building was reduced to rubbles, while vehicles parked inside the local government secretariat were also burnt.
Elsewhere, about 32 utility and operational vehicles were set ablaze at the Ogidi District office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) in the early hours of Monday.
The unidentified arsonists were said to have stormed the EEDC office immediately after carrying out a similar act at the Idemili Secretariat.
The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, confirmed the incident.
He expressed displeasure that efforts made to reach the Anambra State Fire Service did not yield any positive result.
Ezeh said members of staff who were on the ground were helpless, as they watched the office building and other assets go down in flames.
According to him: “It later took the intervention of the Commissioner for Utilities, Mr. Julius Chukwuemeka, at about 9.05 am this morning to bring the Fire Service team down to the scene of the incident.”
“This is a big loss to EEDC, and a great setback to the efforts being made by the company to strengthen its network and improve the quality of service to its customers within Ogidi and Anambra State at large.
“We have already brought this development to the attention of the relevant authorities and it is expected that proper investigation will be carried out and the perpetrators of this dastardly act brought to book, he said.”
Confirming the incidents, Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development, attributing it to unidentified arsonists.
Ikenga said: “Yes, the incident was confirmed, and our men were there to restore normalcy. Right now, the fire has been put off, and calm has been restored to the area.”
