By Sunny David
Residents of Orsumoghu, Orsu-Ihiteukwa, Uda and Awo-Idemili communities in Anambra state have said they are living in fear over frequent attacks by gunmen.
According to them, mask-wearing gunmen often invade their communities at night to attack them, a situation that has made many residents resort to sleeping in the bushes for fear of being attacked.
The latest in the series of unrelenting attack happened at about 2.15am on Friday, with the gunmen shooting sporadically and going from house to house, to abduct residents
Our correspondent who went round the community observed that there was uneasy calm while markets, shops and even roads were deserted.
The residents locked themselves in their various houses.
The deputy village head, Orsumoghu community, Mazi Okorie Okalawa, who spoke to our correspondent, lamented the devastating effect of the attacks on residents’ lives and means of livelihood.
Mazi Okalawa, who was teary-eyed as he spoke to our reporter from behind his locked gate, said the community had become a ghost town as most people had fled to take refuge in places like Awka, Onitsha and other towns that are peaceful.
He said, “These unknown attackers, again, invaded our community heavily armed with masks at about 2am on Friday. They went round houses, shooting and were picking every young man they came across.
“They shot one person dead. Up till now, we don’t know the whereabouts of those they took away and even the total number of people they went away with.
“They left a note that they would be back again in three days’ time and because of this, our people, especially the men, who don’t have where to run to, have been forced to be sleeping in the bushes at night in order not to be caught unawares.”
