Anita Ogona
The Atani headquarters of Ogbaru local government area, Anambra State was in the early hours of Friday burnt down when unknown gunmen stormed the facility with heavy weapons.
A resident of the area told our correspondent that the hooligans numbering about 30, armed to the teeth came from the Umuzu and Amiyi axis with heavy weapons, including guns and dynamites to attack the local government.
The source who preferred anonymity disclosed that the hoodlums came at about 5 am, operated unchallenged for more than one hour, and burnt down four buildings before they left.
Our correspondent was told that the only building standing was the one housing the local government chairman’s office that was partly touched, and the canteen.
“They came on foot carrying different guns, dynamite; they came from Amuzu and Amiyi axis. They burnt four buildings in the local government. The also burnt one vehicle.
“They came around 5 am and left about 6 am”, a source in the local government area narrated.
The source, however, stated that the only reason he could attribute for the attack is that the gunmen wanted to inflict fears in the residents to prove that they were still operating.
Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command (PPRO) Superintendent of Police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga who confirmed the incident, stated that a joint team comprising the police and vigilant members chased the hoodlums away.
He, also confirmed the destruction of properties in the council headquarters, saying that security operations were ongoing to track down the criminals.
Sources in the local government lamented that Amuzu and Amiyi communities in the local government have been dens of unknown gunmen for more than a year now.
They added that criminals from the areas have continued to carry out terrible attacks by kidnapping several persons while also killing many people, including police personnel and vigilante members.
“We have been living in fears in this local government because of these criminal elements who have taken over Umuzu and Amiyi. Sometimes they operate on motorcycles, sometimes they come on foot to kidnap people and run into the bush with them.
“We have cried out to the police but the security agencies have not been able to go and flush the criminals out from the communities,” a resident said.
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