JUST IN: Gunmen invade Ebonyi community, shoot one

Gunmen, on Wednesday, invaded the Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo community, in the Ikwo Local Government Area of the state and attacked the popular Nwakpu Market in the area, shot a motorcyclist in the head, and set a vehicle ablaze.

A community source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen stormed the market when traders had already opened for business on Wednesday morning.

The PUNCH reports that the Nwakpu market is opposite the country home of the Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Eric Kelechi.

The source said, “The gunmen came into the market and ordered traders and shop owners to vacate the market. They also tell them to observe the sit-at-home.

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“After dispatching the traders and shop owners, the gunmen set ablaze a vehicle. As the vehicle owner (name withheld) attempted to quench the fire, they (gunmen) shot him in the head and legs.”

Also, economic activities were, on Wednesday, halted in Abakaliki, the capital city as filling stations, banks and event centres were shut down apparently to observe the sit-at-home order.

Confirming the incident, the Commander of the Ebubeagu Security Outfit, Mr. Friday Nnanna, said the attackers were not members of the Indigenous People of Biafra but mere hoodlums who invaded the market to rob traders of their belongings.

He said, “What happened was that some boys invaded the Nwakpu market to rob traders. They (gunmen) are not members of IPOB. This is because they (gunmen) came into the market with locally-made pistols.

“Ebubeagu is on ground to arrest those boys because we know the clothes they (the gunmen) are wearing, and so, we are after them.

“We are on track to get them. We are putting on our searchlight on them to arrest them. From now till tomorrow, we will apprehend them.”

Also, when contacted, the Commissoner for Police in Ebonyi State, Aliyu Garba, said he was in transit and could not respond to our Correspondent’s inquiry.

A splinter group of the Indigenous People of Biafra had last Friday, announced there would be a sit-at-home between December 9 and 14, 2022, warning that anyone seen outside during this period will be killed.

But IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, had since distanced itself from the said sit-at-home order, saying the idea was anti-people and negated its principle.