By Izunna Okafor, Awka
More details have emerged on how heavily-armed hoodlums chanting “Release our Oga for us” blocked roads, attacked and set many vehicles ablaze in Anambra State amidst heavy gunshots.
According to videos trending online, the attack which happened at Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state on Thursday through Friday, started at about 10.PM and lasted for hours, with heavy exchange of gunfire between the gunmen and joint security operatives, comprising the police and local vigilante, who rushed to the scene and engaged them in gun battle upon receiving distress calls about the attack.
It was gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 12, stormed two Prado Jeeps with no registration number, and blocked the Ozubulu axis of the Onitsha—Owerri Road, thereby causing a long traffic jam, with over sixty vehicles trapped down from the Ozubulu Boys Secondary School Junction of the ever-busy road down.
A source from the area, who pleaded anonymity explained that the gunmen were launching attacks at different parts of the community and its environs simultaneously, as ear-rending gunshots were being fired from different sources at the same time.
“Stray bullets even hit some drivers of those vehicles hooked up in the traffic, but they were rushed to a nearby hospital by the security operatives,” the source said, adding that “the gunmen were overpowered by the security operatives, which made them to flee after having set some vehicles on fire earlier.”
Although no casualty was said to be recorded in the hour-long attack, many private vehicles, commercial vehicles, and other vehicles laden with goods, including tomato truck, Hero beer truck, empty diesel tanker, Toyota Camry, and others were set ablaze that night by the gunmen.
It was also gathered that the yet-to-be-identified gunmen, that night, also attacked Okija, Ihiala, which are neighbouring communities to Ozubulu, as well as Mgbidi in Imo State; while chanting such words as “Release our Oga for us” among others as they moved.
Confirming the incident, the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command described it as a case of arson and armed robbery.
He said “We got the report, and our men quickly rushed to the scene, and some of the vehicles that were not yet affected were recovered. These criminal elements, on that fateful day, started shooting sporadically in attempt to dispossess innocent citizens plying that road.
”And out of fear, some of them escaped to unknown destinations, leaving their vehicles. And, when those criminal elements couldn’t see anything they can get out of those innocent citizens, they started setting the vehicles ablaze.”
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