No fewer than five persons were feared killed when some yet-to-be-identified assailants launched simultaneous attacks on two communities in Anambra State in the early hours of Monday.
The heavily armed gunmen stormed the Abatete community in Idemili North Local Government Area, targeting security personnel attached to the town’s President General.
Sources in the area said three security men were shot and killed instantly during an exchange of gunfire, adding that the President General of the community, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, was critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.
Some residents who spoke on the development said they were still in shock, with many calling for increased security presence.
In another separate incident, some gunmen attacked the Ukpo Community at the Ukpo roundabout in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, killing one vigilante operative and a motorcycle rider.
A witness near the scene said, “It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere in a commando-like fashion and started shooting indiscriminately.”
A police source who pleaded anonymity said, “The police have launched an investigation into the attacks and are working to apprehend the perpetrators.
“We condemn these heinous acts and assure the public that we will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice.”
It was gathered that both incidents were said to have occurred within an hour’s interval, with the first attack happening at 8am in Abatete and the second at 8.45am in Ukpo without any efforts by the police to foil them.
The Anambra State police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached on the development.
Meanwhile, some residents have claimed that the unknown gunmen might be those ensuring compliance of the illegal Monday sit-at-home in the South East.
“I think these unknown gunmen are the ones ensuring compliance of sit-at-home orders every Monday. They might have killed these vigilantes to send a signal to people that movement on Mondays is not tolerated. They are those seeking release of Nnamdi Kanu,” a resident said.
