Gunmen reportedly raided Ikem community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State for three days, kidnapping six persons.
On Monday, January 16, eight masked gunmen attacked five young men including the Chairman of Federated Ikem Improvement Union Enugu branch, Emeka Odoh (aka Asokwa), as they concluded a security meeting in the neighbourhood.
Asokwa said he returned home to join other members of the committee to find ways to strengthen the local security ahead of the coming general elections.
“As we drove out of the meeting venue, we found four gunmen on the main road brandishing guns.
“I was driving and instinctively reversed the car and behold there was another set of four gunmen behind us. The gunmen opened fire on us, shattering all the windscreens and the four tires, but I bravely drove through the hail of bullets with flat tires to safety.
“One of us was badly hit by the bullets and was immediately rushed to Enugu where eight bullets were extracted from his body by surgeons. He is still recuperating at the intensive care unit of the hospital,” Asokwa narrated.
After the unsuccessful operation, the angry gunmen kidnapped two commercial motorcycle riders and made their escape through a bush route towards the boundary with Benue State.
As they withdrew they robbed adjoining houses and stole food items and condiments.
The villagers narrated that as they were still reeling under the shock when the gunmen returned on Tuesday and kidnapped a native who was home from Enugu and a National Youth Corps Member who is his tenant.
“Thursday night, the gunmen returned for the third time, this time at night, kidnapped three more people and shot one person who confronted them.
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“As a result, the villagers all slept in the bush for fear for their lives. Friday night they still slept in the surrounding bushes for fear the gunmen would return,” narrated another native.
The gunmen are yet to reach out to the families of the kidnapped or demand ransom.
