It was a bad day as Gunmen invade Ebonyi community on Wednesday, 14th, December, 2022. Nwakpu Market, which is located in Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo community, in the Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State Nigeria was attacked by the Gunmen.
Reports has it that the Gunmen stormed the market in the morning of Wednesday when traders had already opened for business. The Gunmen reportedly shot a motorcyclist in the head, and set a vehicle ablaze.
An eyewitness said that the Gunmen came into the market and ordered that every shop should be closed, traders and shop owners were told to vacate the market immediately and they should go back home to observe the Sit At Home.
“After chasing everybody out of the market place, they (Gunmen) set a vehicle ablaze, the owner of the when trying to quench the fire was then shot in the head and legs”.
All economic activities Abakaliki, the capital city of the State were halted on Wednesday as filling stations, banks and event centers were shut down to observe the sit-at-home order.
The Commander of the Ebubeagu Security Outfit (a State owned security), Mr. Friday Nnanna while confirming the news said the attackers were not members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but mere hoodlums who invaded the market to rob traders of their belongings.
Enugu Trends On Twitter Over Insecurities
According to him, “what happened was that some boys invaded the Nwakpu market to rob traders. They (gunmen) are not members of IPOB. This is because they (gunmen) came into the market with locally-made pistols.
“Ebubeagu is on ground to arrest those boys because we know the clothes they are wearing, and so, we are after them.
“We are on track to get them. We are putting on our searchlight on them to arrest them. From now till tomorrow, we will apprehend them.”
Recall that a splinter of the IPOB group lead by one Mr. Simon Ekpa had declared a 5 day Sit At Home order, starting from December 9 to December 14, 2022, warning that anyone seen outside during this period will be killed.
IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, had earlier distanced itself from the said sit-at-home order, stating that the order is not coming from them.
