Gunmen attack Ebonyi Neighbourhood commander’s house, burn cars
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Gunmen whose identities are yet to be ascertained, Sunday invaded the home of Commander of Neighborhood Watch, Ohaukwu Local government, Leonard Igwe and attempted to set it ablaze.
The Commander and members of his household, it was gathered, narrowly escaped death as the gunmen tried to set them ablaze inside the house.
The incident happened in his hometown of Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo.
The gunmen however, succeeded in setting ablaze two of his vehicles parked in the compound.
Speaking with Ikengaonline, the victim said the members of his household numbering over 15 escaped by divine intervention as attempts to set the building ablaze by the gunmen were not successful.
He said:”On 13, August 2023 around 3 am, a bus, and one keke entered my residence. I was watching them through my window. I taught they were policemen because they usually come to my place to pick me up while on patrol.
“Through their movement, I found out that they were not policemen. So, I flashed my touch towards their direction and asked who they were. Immediately they ran behind their car and hid so I understood at that same time that they could be unknown gunmen on a mission.
“They immediately mobilized their men to surround my house, they positioned themselves – two each at the four corners of my building shouting ” If you like be Police, Army, Ebubeagu, Neighborhood watch or even Dave Umahi, we will get all of you down”.
“I asked them what do you want from me? Am I the one holding Nnamdi Kanu? Because they were talking to me and I was responding.
“As I was talking they began to pour fuel on my vehicles, a white Sienna bus that the State Government gave to me for my work and my Rover car and set them ablaze.
“They also broke the glasses of my house and poured fuel to burn it down but as God may have it the fire did not catch. They went back and pushed the smaller car close to the wall of my house and put wood connecting to the ceiling line of the house but it did not catch fire.
“In all this I and my household about fifteen of us were inside the house, they wanted to burn us together with the house but God did not allow them to succeed.
“At one point, I attempted to escape with my family through the back door but the people stationed there were ready to shoot with their AK-47 rifles.
“On my third attempt to escape, I noticed that they were gone so we left for a safe place”
“In my house were myself and my wife, my brother who came back from Enugu with his wife on 12th August, and some refugees taking shelter, so in all, we were 15 in number.
“The gunmen about 20 in number stayed in my compound from 3 am to some minutes past 4:00m.
“The security agencies came around at about 8:00am because I had to call one of our security personnel who I had his number offhand to contact the Local Government Chairman as I was not with my phone. My house is in the boundary area between Agila and Ngbo.
“This is not the first time I am being attacked; hoodlums attacked me on January 31st this year at the Neighborhood watch office at Ngbo West, they burnt my Sienna bus then and now my two other cars”, he lamented.
Reacting, the State Commander of Neighborhood watch, Friday Ujor, said the organisation in conjunction with security agencies have commenced investigation into the matter
“Our mood of operation is not what we discuss online but we are still on the game.
“Some of the people who carried out the first attack have been apprehended. You know crime can not stop entirely especially whenever they have target.
“But on this recent attack we are still carrying out investigation to track the hoodlums that carried out the attack.You should know that the Ohaukwu commander has been threatened sometimes in August last year, but we are on it.
Chairman Ohaukwu LGA, Mr. Ikechukwu Odono confirmed the attack.
He said: “I went there yesterday morning with security personnel and I totally condemned the acts.
“This is the second time the commander of the Neighborhood watch is being attacked, they first attacked him at the security office late last year and burnt a sienna bus he was using for his work.
“Yesterday, early hours, they attacked his house and burned two of his cars. They also tried to burn his house which part if it was affected.
“I totally condemn the act and I have asked the security agencies to do all they can to apprehend the hoodlums.
“We know that they are hiding in the local government and they must be fished out”, he said.
The member representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Eze Nwachukwu Eze also condemned the attack.
Eze expressed sadness over the attack and destruction of valuable properties describing it as unfortunate.
He called for the immediate search and arrest of those whose hands were connected to the attack.
He, however, urged the Ebonyi State Government led by Governor Francis Nwifuru and the emergency response agencies to provide support and relief materials to the victim, Igwe, who according to him, has been prevented from performing his normal duty as a result of the arson attack.
