3 Killed, Others Injured As Gunmen Attack Ebonyi Community

Yet-to-be identified gunmen in the late hours of Saturday attacked Akpoha community in Afikpo local government area of Ebonyi State, killing three persons.

Also, many residents of the community, while running for their lives sustained varying degree of injuries during the attack.

LEADERSHIP gathered that among those killed were a member of the State Neighborhood Security Watch (NSW), a female trader and a man, who was staying close to the vigilante member that was killed.

A resident of the area, Uche Donatus, who confirmed the attack, said that about 10 bullets were shot at the slain Neighborhood Security Watch operarive.

“It was a heavy attack, I had to run out of my house because the bullets from the sporadic shooting by the gunmen were hitting the roof of my house.

“After they had left, three persons were lying dead. One of the three corpses lying on the ground is a member of Ebubeagu Security Network. He has up to 10 bullets in his body.

“The names of the deceased are; Emmanuel Nwacha Egwu Nicholas Nwacha and Inya Blessing Orieona. Killings in Akpoha has become a regular occurrence and nothing has been done to stop it. We are in trouble.

“Emmanuel Nwacha is the leader of Neighbourhood Security Watch in the area and Chief Security Officer of the company handling construction of a new bridge in the community by federal government,” he stated.

He disclosed that many bullets were picked by policemen in the community who evacuated the bodies of the deceased.

Reacting, the Coordinator of Akpoha Development Center, Kenneth Orji Obasi, who confirmed the incident, said the corpses of the victims have been deposited in the morgue.

He noted that he received a call that gunmen were shooting heavily on Akpoha junction around 8pm on Saturday night and he sent some members of the Neighborhood Security Watch to the scene.

“On getting to the scene, I saw three persons lying dead on the ground. I have taken their corpses to the mortuary while the incident has been reported to the police,” Obasi said.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, said he has not received any report on the incident.