More Tension In Anambra As Unknown Gunmen Visit Ihiala, Warn Traders Against Stray Bullets

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Unknown Gunmen early hours of today morning visited the main market known as Nkwogbe at Ihiala community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state, warning some petty traders who do come out on sit-at-home days along Bank road in the community to desist forthwith to avoid being killed by stray bullets.

Residents said two of the unknown gunmen who came out to read the letter of warning before them were fully and completely masked up with black clothes.

It was gathered the unknown gunmen in the letter; only read before the traders but not left with them, insisted that all corporate organizations must raise Biafra flag and drop Nigeria flag on October 1st, 2021.

Some market women said the unknown gunmen came to read the letter to them between the hour of 7 and 8 this morning after calling the traders along Bank road together.

It could not be ascertained if the unknown gunmen is planning to attack the community.

Ihiala community is considered to be the must fortified among communities along the Onitsha-Owerri road with heavy security operatives and equipment.

Soldiers have since upgraded the military check point and build a barricade towards the boundary between Ihiala and Uli community where every vehicle must stop, passengers except elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers must trek with hands up across the war like military formation.

Hard looking special Police men newly deployed to the area do carry out internal patrol within the Ihiala community and occasionally stationed in a large number along the Onitsha-Owerri road after Okija river.

Residents said the unknown gunmen had attacked and burnt down two shops along Orlu road in the town on Monday for not observing the sit-at-home order.

Action, many residents said have made so many landlords to visit and issue warning to businesses in their compounds to save their buildings from being burnt down.

The unknown gunmen at Oba Community in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state yesterday displayed show of force, moving freely along the Onitsha-Owerri road, moved round through Oba new road, Oba old road, Nnewi and Nkpor.

Residents said the unknown gunmen attacked two herders who were openly grazing cows around Oba old road, shot the cows dead, attacked one of the herders while the other escaped.

At Nkpor junction in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state, residents sent distressed calls and messages to loved ones and colleagues between the hours of 3:30 pm to 5 pm alerting them to be careful while approaching or around the area as unknown gunmen for hours engaged in sporadic shooting.

Seven persons including Doctor Chike Akunyili, widower and husband to late Professor Dora Akunyili, the dogged fighter who addressed issues of fake drugs to a large extent in Nigeria as the then Director General of the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC were killed at the Nkpor junction.

Experts say the show of force by the unknown gunmen yesterday could be possible because of the current traffic situation in Onitsha where numbers of military barracks are less than 5 minutes drive to Oba Community where the unknown gunmen displayed for hours before shifting attention to Nkpor.