Gunmen kill pregnant woman, ten others in Ebonyi community

Eleven people, including a large woman, were killed erstwhile gunmen, suspected to beryllium warlords from a neighbouring community, attacked the residents of Inikiri, a colony successful Ezza Effium Community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s south-east.

The incidental happened connected Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

Ezza Effium and Uffiom Communities successful the Ohaukwu Local Government of the authorities person been engulfed successful quality for immoderate years now, which has resulted successful the nonaccomplishment of respective lives, displacement of hundreds of radical and demolition of properties worthy billions of naira.

How it happened

Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the hoodlums invaded the assemblage astatine astir 2 p.m. connected Wednesday and changeable sporadically till 6 p.m. of the aforesaid day, sidesplitting the victims astatine the spot.

Children betwixt the ages of 2 and 12 were among the 11 persons killed during the attack, according to the residents.

The identities of the attackers were yet to beryllium ascertained. However, immoderate residents of Ezza Effium claimed the hoodlums were Uffiom warriors.

Meanwhile, the Ezza Effium Community has a associated subject and constabulary checkpoint, which the authorities authorities acceptable up for peacekeeping successful the area.

But 1 of the residents, Chuks Nwafor, told this paper that the attackers operated without a situation from some the soldiers and constabulary operatives stationed successful the area.

The residents said a Primary Healthcare Center was built for the assemblage by an planetary organisation, and implicit 30 residential houses were razed during the attack.

Police speak

When contacted connected Friday afternoon, the constabulary spokesperson successful Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, told PREMIUM TIMES that constabulary authorities successful the authorities had initiated efforts to analyse what happened successful the community.

“We person received the accusation (about the attack), and we are moving to corroborate what happened,” Mr Ukandu, a lawman superintendent of police, said.

On the alleged nonaccomplishment of immoderate soldiers to face the attackers, the constabulary spokesperson said determination was nary grounds that the onslaught happened adjacent to the military checkpoint.

“So, I don’t deliberation that the incidental happened wrong the country wherever the mobile constabulary officers and subject men are present, but we are inactive trying to measure what happened,” helium added.