Gunmen have descended on Ogbunike community in Oyi local government area of Anambra State, leaving 17 persons injured and two lying critically in the hospital.
It was learnt that the gunmen numbering about 20 stormed the community on Monday night and shot indiscriminately while robbing villagers of their personal belongings.
The hoodluns were said to be youths of the community who were mostly ex-convicts recently released from jail.
They were said to have also descended on the home of the late Pa Samuel Okwudili Nwosu at Ifite Ogbunike, whose funeral is slated to hold in January next year.
Some workers carrying out renovation work at the deceased’s buildings in the compound were also attacked.
The contractor at the compound, Egwim Ogomegbunam, who narrated the incident, said,”I was at the compound with two of my workers and six labourers when they came into the compound, shooting anyhow and people started running away. They attacked me with matchet and wounded me at my left hand and my back.”
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According to him, “They were many, I think about 20 of them, and we could not defend ourselves. After that, they came back again and attacked more people who thought that they had gone.”
Also, a son of the late Pa Nwosu, Ekenechukwu Nwosu, who was with his younger brother in the compound when the incident occured, said, “We were inside one of the buildings when we heard shootings and we had to hide for safety. We were watching what was going on, and the criminals came into the compound and were shooting and attacking people.
“They attacked the workers in our home, and after that, they came back and attacked some other compounds. As they were going, they were robbing villagers, collecting phones, money, and ATM cards.”
He pointed out that, “The thing that shocked us was that they are youths from our community who we already know as criminals and most of them are ex-convicts who were recently released from prison after serving their jail terms.”
Nwosu stated that the community had made official complaints with the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at Awkuzu in Oyi local government area, adding that the department has commenced investigation into the incident.
Most of the villagers have fled the area over fear of another attack by the hoodluns, while awaiting further action from the Anambra State Police Command
