By Izunna Okafor, Awka
There was pandemonium in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government area of Anambra State on Saturday when some suspected hoodlums invaded the town and opened fire on Police operatives who were on a peace keeping mission in the area.
According to an eyewitness, the hoodlums came with three tinted Hilux vehicles, one Lexus 330, three shuttle buses and a Toyota Corolla car at about four o’clock in the evening.
The situation caused panic in the area as road users, motorists, shop owners and residents scampered for safety.
Speaking with journalists on telephone, the acting President General of Isuaniocha Community, Mr. Friedrich Egwunwa described the incident as very unfortunate and an attempt by some criminal elements to wipe out the people of the town who had embraced peace.
According to him, the hoodlums were led by one Mr. Onyemazi Ngini who had been on the run for the various atrocious acts he had committed in the community.
He mentioned other names they were able to identify during the incident to include Sylvester Ngini, Charles Okoye, Chukwuma Onyibo, Nonso and Okwudili all of whom had been on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police.
The Acting PG appealed to the Anambra State government and the Inspector General of Police to wade into the crisis rocking Isuaniocha in the interest of the people who are always at the receiving end whenever there is an attack by the hoodlums.
Mr. Egwunwa narrated that during the exchange of gunfire, the hoodlums all entered their vehicles to run but luck ran out on one of them who claimed he was security personnel when he was caught.
He told journalists that two persons were injured during the incident while the suspect who claimed to be from Department of State Security, was later transfered to Zone 13 by Police operatives.
Also speaking, a community leader, Chief Tony Onyeagolu alleged that the hoodlums were mobilized by the Commissioner for Homeland Affairs Mr Chikodi Anara who he said was bent on ensuring that the community is never in peace for his personal gains.
Chief Onyeagolu noted that the attack on security personnel confirms the earlier position of the people that a particular set of persons being sponsored by the Commissioner were all out to cause chaos in the area to cover their tracks.
The people wondered why Nigeria security operatives would be conniving with some persons that had already been declared wanted to come and be causing problem in Isuaniocha.
When contacted on a telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said security agents were already deployed to the community for safety of lives and property.
DSP Ikenga who said the situation was already under control, called on the people to cooperate with the Police operatives to fish out those who were involved in the act.
It was gathered that while the hoodlums were driving out of the community, one of their Hilux vehicles fell into a ditch and caught fire around the Obibia bridge axis of the ever busy road.
Over one thousand persons including aged men and women recently staged a peaceful protest to the government house calling on governor Chukwuma Suludo to urgently intervene in the crises rocking the community.
