The Ihiala Local Government Area HQ has been attacked by the Unkwon Gunmen terrorising the people of SouthEast, killing 3 vigilante men, and one of the gunmen was gunned down, NjenjeMediaNews reports.
A community member, who did not want to be named, described the attack as “very serious” and that there was constant gunfire. ” Immediately after the shots were fired, the gunman began to cause chaos in the area. The administration building, the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC], the building of the Ministry of Health, the offices of the Youth Corps [NYSC], the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Civil Defense were all burned. The gunman escaped.
Some witnesses said the gunmen came from all over the state – from Imo state, near the border with Orlu. It is worth noting, however, that Nigerian security officials arrived shortly after the escape.
In a response from DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, PPRO Anambra State Police Command noted that,
“Following the Police/Military operations ongoing in Ihiala and its neighbouring town, the Operatives responding to a distress call at about 2:55 am, today 12/1/2023 of an attack on Ihiala local government headquarters, neutralize one of the attackers, recovered two locally made IED luncher, seven undenoted IED, forty pieces of live cartridges, fifteen live 7.62MM Ak47 ammunition, knives, charms, and other dangerous weapons”.
“The attackers had already murdered, three vigilante operatives on duty, beheaded one and set five buildings ablaze with IED and petrol bombs. The joint force operatives engaged the arsonist/attackers, and obstructed them from causing further damages, while some escaped with bullet wounds”.
The statement concludes that,
“the bodies of the victims were recovered and joint operations are still ongoing”.
