Residents In Fear Over Friday-Wednesday Sit-at-home Order As Unknown Gunmen Kill, Kidnap Vigilantes In Ihiala

It was a night of war and rain of bullets on Tuesday at Mbarapaka quarters in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State as Unknown Gunmen kill and kidnap numbers of Anambra Vigilantes Group, AVG.

It was gathered that the Unknown Gunmen around 10 pm invaded the building housing the offices of the AVG at Nitel road in Mbarapaka quarters, and opened fire on them.

One of the vigilantes was killed instantly while numbers of them were kidnapped and taken away by the unknown gunmen, according to security sources and residents.

The unknown gunmen also set ablaze the building.

As at the time of filling in this report, the Nitel road which link the 4-junction connecting Ihiala-Orlu road and Onitsha-Owerri, close to Total Filling Station at Ihiala main town remain completely barricaded and vehicular movement prevented from plying in and out of the road.

Security sources said the vigilantes attacked were the group set up by the community and not the special squad brought in by the governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

The sources added that the only vigilante killed during the attack is an indigene of Ihiala community. The security sources could not state the specific numbers of the vigilantes kidnapped by the unknown gunmen but admitted the numbers abducted were few.

Some church worshipers said they just closed from Shiloh, a church programme organized and broadcast live at various viewing centres across the globe by Living Faith Church, when they started hearing sound of guns. Residents said they have to lie down flat on the road to avoid being hit by stray bullets.

The attack was a major talk across several places in Ihiala Local Government Area on Wednesday; as traders and other residents expressed fear that the Friday 9th to Wednesday 14th Sit-at-home Order declared by unknown gunmen maybe be enforced.

We learnt that the five days Sit-at-home was declared by unknown gunmen whom we gathered, threatened to attack esecurity facilities and personnel during the period, and thus, advised residents to remain indoor to avoid being a victim of stray bullets.