Two people of the Akpawfu community in Enugu State’s Nkanu East Local Government Area, including Chukwuma Nnamuoke, the Palace Secretary of the Ajeme Akpawfu autonomous community, were killed by armed intruders.
In the previous three weeks, the same shooters have killed no less than four people in the village and badly injured a number of others.
It has been reliably reported that the gunmen have permanently stopped all activities at the primary and secondary schools, markets, and churches in the three autonomous communities in Akpawfu. The gunmen are seeking revenge for the burning and destruction of the homes of Eastern Security Network (ESN) members from the community during a military invasion in December 2022.
They were said to have identified some villagers to kill for allegedly providing information on ESN members in the community to the Nigerian security agencies.
A community source told SaharaReporters that the gunmen sacked residents from their homes who are now refugees in the state capital and in the neighbouring communities.
One of the sources who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity said that gunmen invaded the community on Sunday night, went straight and killed Chief Nnamuoke, the Cabinet Secretary of the traditional ruler of the Ajeme Akpawfu autonomous community, His Royal Highness, Igwe Christopher Nnamani and escaped when the local vigilantes confronted them in a gun battle.
According to the source, the hoodlums arrived Akpawfu through “back door and killed one Ikenga and follow from bush and runaway.
“Before our security men will reach the venue they are already gone. Akpawfu is one of their targets in Nkanu Land after Akpawfu they will move to other places.”
Another resident of Akpawfu community, who gave his name as Ekene Dilichukwu Nnamani, told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the gunmen returned on Monday morning and shot one person at Agudene Akpawfu.
Lamenting the deplorable situation in the community, Nnamani said “Nobody as I speak to you is remaining in the community. People have deserted their homes for fear of being the next target. I have evacuated all my family members to Onitsha in Anambra state now.”
When SaharaReporters contacted the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Igwe Christopher Nnamani, on Tuesday, he confirmed the unfortunate development noting that in one of the attacks, his wife would have been killed.
According to him, “I have reported the incident to the police and local government chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area. The authorities are aware and I believe the security agencies are doing something. They also attacked my house but we were lucky nobody was killed. If you go to my palace you see how bullets holes everywhere in the house.
“My palace secretary was killed on Sunday night the security agents came and carry his body yesterday. Later in the I received another report same yesterday (Monday) that they shoot someone in Agudene Akpawfu. Another person they shoot is in critical condition in the hospital in Enugu here.
“I am calling on the government and security agencies for urgent intervention and save my community.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Enugu State Police Command on the incident were unsuccessful as the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, could not be reached on telephone as at the time of filing this report.
