By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The calm town of Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State has witnessed a shocking bloodbath, following the killing of many youths of the community by yet-to-be-identified persons.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Monday, September 9, when some youths and indigenes of the community were invited to the Agu Isioye land belonging to the community to check something, only the be seized up and greeted with gunshots by some armed men hiding in the bush.
This was corroborated by videos and pictures currently trending on social media, showing corpses of some of the murdered persons, as well as one of the survivors who escaped the scene with bullet wounds.
Although, speculations and allegations abound that the assassins were sponsored by unknown individuals from Nawfia, a neighbouring community that shares land boundary with Enugwu-Ukwu, also in Njikoka Local Government Area; the true identities of the suspects are yet to be unmasked, while the reasons for such bloody attack on armless persons remain yet uncertain.
Recounting his ordeal from sickbed, the survivor said, “I don’t know what is happening in Enugwu-Ukwu; Enugwu-Ukwu is no longer safe
“I received a call from someone to come and check something for him at Agu Isioye. So, when I got there, the next thing I heard was Everybody lie down! Everybody lie down! And then I began to inquire what was happening. I also saw some motorcycles belonging to people whom I couldn’t even see there.
“So, as I began to question the guy who was saying Everybody lie down, he fired me a gunshot and also fired the person I was with. And there were also some corpses of some unidentified persons who were murdered and dumped inside the bush there before I came.”
According to him, the bullets pierced into his stomach and other parts of his body, including his penis.
While recounting how he managed to limp from inside the bush to the main road with the bullet wounds before he started seeing and seeking the help of some persons who assisted to convey him to a safer place for medication, he further thanked God that he was able to survive attack; even as he further recounted that he also saw a corpse of an indigene of Agu-Ukwu Nri community who was also killed dumped inside the same bush. He also warned the people to be cautious of the Agu Isioye area as a deadly danger zone for now, as some heavily-armed men still camp there.
In a brief social media post on the incident on Monday, a prominent indigene of Enugwu-Ukwu community, Chief Dr. Uche Nworah, condemned the attack and also captured the reactions of some other concerned indigenes of the community and their calls to government regarding the incident.
Titled “Enugwu-Ukwu Community Seeks Anambra State Government’s Intervention in Averting Communal Crises With Neighbours Nawfia” Nworah’s post reads:
“Leaders and indigenes of Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka local government area of Anambra state, have called on the state government to urgently investigate the killing of some of its indigenes by men allegedly sponsored by unknown individuals from Nawfia, a neighbouring community, also in Njikoka.
“Ambassador Elijah Onyeagba, Nigeria’s immediate past Ambassador to Burundi and a cabinet member in the community said that the whole town is in shock and mourning over the brutal violence meted out to some of their kinsmen.
““It was in the afternoon of Monday, 9th September 2024, that news went round the community of the killing of some of our brothers. It was reported that the men were lured via phone calls to Agu Isionye land belonging to Enugwu-Ukwu and were each executed gangland style. Enugwu-Ukwu is currently deliberating on this. Our President – General has already informed the state government. The police authorities at Zone 13, Ukpo, Dunukofia local government have also been informed. Urgent action is required to avert escalation of the crises.”
“A youth leader in the community, Emeka Okonkwo said that Nawfia people in doing this have thrown away their Umunri brotherhood bond. “How can supposed brothers kill one another? This is an abomination.Some of the survivors with bullet wounds are being conveyed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi as we speak. Do you think that we will forget this easily?” Okonkwo asked.
“Another youth from Enugwu-Ukwu Boniface Okafor said that Enugwu-Ukwu youths are meeting to discuss their next line of action.
““We will not take the law into our hands, but we expect that the government and police should urgently engage with the two communities. Those that committed these atrocities should be punished and the necessary traditional sacrifices made,” he said.
“A viral voice note from a supposed Nawfia indigene wondered why the ugly occurrences of Monday, 9th September, 2024, was not being shared on major Nawfia WhatsApp platforms. He wondered if this signified general support by Nawfia community for the gruesome murders of their Umunri kinsmen. The indivisible cautioned members of the community to be vigilant as he feared reprisals and asked those who can to leave the community immediately.”
However, in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, has ordered an investigation into the incident.
He also revealed that the police had visited the scene of the attack and recovered a vehicle abandoned by the murderers, as well as the dead bodies of some of the persons murdered and dumped inside the bush.
The statement reads: “The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, has ordered investigation into the murder of three persons and left five others seriously injured today 9/9/2024 by 2.pm at Isionye land, a boundary between Enugu ukwu and Nwafia.
“Preliminary information, reveals the victims were lured by some individuals through a phone call to the land in guise of a land transaction and attacked them with guns and matchet
“Meanwhile, the CP has sued for calm as Police operatives have recovered the abandoned Sennia vehicle used by the murders. Also, the testimonies of the injured victims who are currently receiving treatment in the hospital is aiding the investigation while the bodies of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue.
“Further development shall be communicated, please.”
