Tragedy has again struck in Ihiala, Ihiala local government area of Anambra State as a gang of hoodlums, has killed five security operatives and two civilians in the area.
The sad incident happened at about 11.20am on Monday morning.
According the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the hoodlums had stormed a place in the area where preparations were being made for a burial ceremony slated for Thursday, January 2, 2025, and started shooting sporadically.
SP Ikenga said that in the process, a total of seven persons, including five security operatives and two unarmed passers-by were killed by the assailants.
He said that the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam, has already visited the scene of the incident, and had deployed a team of joint security operatives to hunt for the assailants, and make sure they were arrested to face the wrath of the law.
In a statement he issued to confirm the attack and killing of the seven persons in Ihiala by the bandits, SP Ikenga said: “The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has ordered an immediate manhunt of the assailants who attacked Security Operatives and unarmed civilians in Ihiala by 11.20am today 30th December 2024.
“The unfortunate attack resulted in the death of seven persons among which are two unarmed passers-by.
“The Joint Security Team rescued one of the victims who is currently responding to treatment in a hospital.
“The CP while on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene interviewed some eye witnesses of the incident. Information also had it that the armed men started shooting sporadically at a venue where preparations are ongoing for a burial ceremony slated for 2nd of January, 2025.
“Also, while escaping the scene, the armed men shot at two Security Operatives at a security Observation Post close to the Local Government Headquarters by the Express Road.
“To this end, the CP extends his condolences to the families and friends, especially the good people of Ihiala over the sad incident. He further assured that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be hunted down.”
LEADERSHIP recalls that the latest killing in Ihiala occurred just about five days after a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo, was gruesomely murdered in the area by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
According to the Chancellor of Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Rev. Fr. Raphael Ezeogu, in a statement, Rev Fr. Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo, who was the manager of Respective School of Nursing, Midwifery and Medical Laboratory, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala, was killed between 7pm and 8pm in Ihiala along Onitsha-Owerri Expressway by a gang of hoodlums on December 26.
The state police command spokesman who has also confirmed the unfortunate incident said that a team of the command’s operatives have been deployed to hunt for the killers of the prient.
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