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Some yet-to-be-identified Gunmen yesterday unleashed mayhem on two communities in Ebonyi and Imo states, The Eastern Updates have gathered.
According to reports, the hoodlums attacked the popular Nwakpu Market at Ndufu-Alike community, in the Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The Eastern Updates also gathered that the hoodlums shot a car owner in the head and set his vehicle ablaze.
A community source said the gunmen stormed the market in the morning when traders who came from the hinterland had opened for business.
Nwakpu Market is opposite the country home of the Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Eric Kelechi.
The source said, ‘The gunmen came into the market and ordered traders and shop owners to vacate the market. They also told them to observe the sit-at-home.
‘After dispatching the traders and shop owners, the gunmen set ablaze a vehicle. As the vehicle owner attempted to put out the fire, they shot him in the head and legs.”
Read Also: Sit-At-Home: Pregnant Woman, Others Killed By Gunmen In Enugu
It was further gathered that economic activities were also halted in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, as filling stations, banks and event centres were shut down.
The Commander of the Ebubeagu Security Outfit in the state, Mr. Friday Nnanna, said the attackers were not members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He said, ‘What happened was that some boys invaded the Nwakpu Market to rob traders. They were not IPOB members because they came into the market with locally-made pistols.
‘Ebubeagu is on ground to arrest those boys; we know the clothes they wore. Between now and tomorrow, we will apprehend them.’
The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, Aliyu Garba, said he was on transit and could not respond to inquiries on the incident.
The Eastern Updates recalls that splinter IPOB group had last Friday announced that there would be sit-at-home between December 9 and 14, 2022, warning that anyone seen outside during the period would be killed.
But IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, distanced itself from the order, saying the idea was anti-people and negated its principle.
