Unknown gunmen set Community ablaze in Anambra, displace over 20 families
No fewer than 20 families have been displaced after unknown gunmen suspected to be IPOB members set buildings and property worth millions of naira on fire in the middle of the night in Ifitedunu community in Anambra State.
The inferno which started at night at about 8pm was said to have rendered many local residents of the community homeless as some of the victims were seen trying to savage one or two items, personal belongings from the blazing inferno.
An eye-witness account who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that the inferno that destroyed property including buildings, vehicles, tricycles and farmlands adding that it started at about 8pm on February 14th 2024 when rampaging unknown gunmen suspected to be IPOB members stormed the community shooting sporadically and chanting war songs.
It was gathered that some of the victims of the inferno who attempted to recover some of their personal belongings from the blazing inferno sustained different degree of injuries as others went in different directions seeking for help as several buildings and property went up in wild flames.
Several communities have been under siege since members of the IPOB group declared every Monday in the Southeastern part of Nigeria sit-at-home day, a development which has further heightened insecurity in the region as the sit-at-home is perceived as a show of solidarity and support for the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kalu who was arrested since 2021.
Defaulters of the sit-at-home directive mostly end up paying the supreme price of death in several cases.
Meanwhile, Mr.Chukwudi Anozie leader of the community who spoke with our correspondent, appealed for urgent government intervention in the crisis in Ifitedunu community in order to immediately re-integrate the over 20 families who lost their homes to the wild fire back into the society.
The community leader said that efforts were underway to complete the documentation of names of victims after a thorough process of identification and profiling of the identities of the victims was completed
He however gave names of some of the victims of the fire outbreak attack to include Thadeus Okafor, Mazi Chinedu Chidiebere, Mbadinuju Okonkwo, Amaka Okoro, Valerie Ajoku.
According to him, others include Jerry Alozie, Promise Ajoku, Ngozi Ajoku, Jayden Ajoku and Prince Uzo Obinna.
