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A climate of fear prevails in Anambra State, where the lines between militancy and deception are increasingly blurred, as gunmen hiding behind the façade of secessionist ideology step up their deadly assaults on security personnel.
As the conflict rages on, both sides have suffered losses, with police officers falling in the line of duty and some of the gunmen also paying the ultimate price for their actions.
The frequency and ferocity of the latest attacks suggest that those responsible are digging in their heels, refusing to abandon their destructive agenda.
Tragedy struck in Nnewi and Nnobi, where brave policemen made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty during the latest wave of violence. Just two weeks ago, a police team in Nnewi was ambushed by gunmen at a busy junction, claiming the life of one officer.
According to eyewitnesses, the deadly encounter unfolded at approximately 9am, when the assailants, thwarted by the swift response of the police, resorted to desperate measures, hurling an improvised explosive device at the officers, which mortally wounded one of them.
Also, a week after, another police officer was feared dead, as gunmen attacked another police checkpoint, in Nnobi, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The latest attack, The Eastern Updates learned, occurred at about 6:30am on Friday, August 16, at the checkpoint beside the Nnobi Police Headquarters.
It was further gathered that the gunmen engaged the policemen in a gun duel that lasted for about an hour, during which one of the policemen, simply identified as Nwaibi, was fatally injured.
The deceased police officer was said to be the driver of one of the police vehicles.
Sources said the hoodlums lodged in a house close to the checkpoint, at the compound of a woman identified as Mama Amanda.
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They were said to have broken a wall through which they entered the compound and forced the residents to open the gate to drive in their cars.
Eyewitnesses recount a chilling scene in which the intruders systematically collected the residents’ phones, effectively cutting them off from the outside world. The captives were then herded into a single room, where they were threatened with lethal force, their silence ensured by the ever-present specter of violence.
Witnesses recounted the chilling moment when the hoodlums seized a young man, who was on an errand that Friday morning, adding that the attackers were armed with an array of weapons, including sniper rifles, AK-47s, and chains. The sheer brutality of the scene has left an indelible mark on those who witnessed it.
The Anambra Police Command has officially corroborated the disturbing reports, confirming that the incidents indeed took place, and are currently under investigation.
The state police command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga while reacting to the first attack on Nnewi said: “The men were attacked at a checkpoint at Omata junction, in Uruagu community, along the Nnewi Oba road.
“Manhunt operation has commenced, and it is led by Assistant Commissioner in charge of Nnewi Area Command.
“The command is already working with the locals in the area to unmask and apprehend the attackers.”
Just as the police were closing in on the culprits, a second wave of violence erupted, catching everyone off guard and plunging the area into further chaos.
Ikenga who confirmed it said: “It is true. One policeman was killed, and there is an operation going on in that area now, which the Commissioner of Police has ordered.”
The pattern of attacks has led an increasing number of people to believe that secessionist elements are orchestrating the violence, raising alarms about the potential for further escalation.
