The people of Omor and Anaku communities in Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State have once again resorted to war with each other, resulting in the death of six persons and one missing.
Also, houses were set ablaze and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted as landmines waiting to be detonated at any time.
A native of Omor community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, narrated that in the early hours of Monday, a native of Anaku community he simply identified as ‘Vulture’ invaded their community through Ezi-Eke with his gang members and killed five persons in the town.
He said that the victims included three natives and two non-natives. While he identified one of the non-natives as a commercial tricycle rider and an indigene of a neighboring Umuerum town, the second victims, according to the source, hailed from a town in the neighboring Enugu State.
The source stated further that the the three natives of the community killed included two women, one of whom he said was in her compound very early in the morning making fire preparatory to prepare breakfast for her family.
He also said that the other victims were killed along the road on their way for their early morning activities. “We don’t know what prompted the attack, but some elders of our community have been advised to go and make report to the police.
“Vulture and his gang invaded our community between 4.30am and 5am today (Monday). We heard that some of those he came with were hiding in the bushes while he was the person that did some of the killings,” the source explained.
But another source in Anaku community, who also craved anonymity, accused the people of Omor community of invading their community and planting explosives to harm them.
The source said that two persons who claimed that they were being sponsored people of Omor community to carry the attack on Anaku had already been arrested by the town vigilante operatives and handed over to the Police at Anaku Police Station.
He gave names of the two persons as one Ilommaduaburochi, a native of Ihembosi in Nnewi South local government area of the State and Amaechi Okoye. He said that already the suspects have killed a woman in their Anaku village and kidnapped a boy.
He also said that some houses have been set ablaze in their community.
He said that both Ilommaduaburochi and Amaechi Okoye had already gave men of Anaku vigilante group names of Omor people who were sponsoring them, adding that the duo had already been handed over to the Police at Anaku police station.
When contacted, spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the renewed communal war between the two communities and said that a combined Police and Military team had been deployed to the area.
He, however, did not confirm the casualty figure but simply said that the Command had mounted heavy security watch on the communities. Omor and Anaku have been at war over communal land for some time, which at different times had claimed several lives and property.
In his speech, Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesperson of the Anambra police command, said security operatives have been deployed to the area.
He added that more information would be provided in due course. “Following the distress call received in the early hours of today 6/2/2023 from Omor and Anaku in Ayamelum LGA, the joint task force comprising of Police and military has been deployed to the area,” Ikenga said in a statement.
“The presence of these security forces has reinforced the security of life and properties and enhanced the provision of law and order in the area. “Meanwhile, the fact of the incident is still unclear and patrols/operations are still ongoing and the situation is being monitored. “Further developments shall be communicated.”
Both communities have been involved in conflict said to be linked to land dispute.
In 2021, Uche Okafor, speaker of the Anambra house of assembly, led a delegation to the areas over crisis involving both communities.
In its report on the 2021 crisis, the Anambra Broadcasting Service said “the affected communities especially Anaku, where the local government headquarters is sited, was a ghost of itself as no single youth was seen in the area”.