One person has been killed and nine persons shot during a shoot-out by politicians in some parts of the state.
The incidents occurred at Ntezi and Nwofe communities in Ishielu and Izzi local government areas of the state.
In the Ntezi incident, a man – Onyebuchi Awoke – and nine-year-old boy were shot and were receiving treatment at federal teaching hospital,
Abakaliki.
In Nwofe, seven members of the community vigilante were attacked with gun and one died in the incident.
A native, Awoke said, “I came back home from Onitsha in the evening. So I went to the residence of our relation, Dr Oke. When I got to the gate, I was
trying to pay the commercial motorcycle operator who conveyed me when some boys on two motorcycles stormed the area and started shooting
sporadically in the air.
“I made to run and they shot at me. I fell down and they shot at me again making it two bullets. They were about six boys. This happened
around 8pm Friday night.
“I think that shooting was politically motivated because that our relation is contesting for something under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and he is popular in that area. I suspect that it was the plot of the other party to scare away his supporters so that they won’t come out to vote for him.”
On her part, Mrs. Oby Aja, a mother of Chibuike Aja, who was shot, said they were on their way home when some persons on motorcycles passed them and opened fire on them.
“We were on our way home from our shop yesterday around 7pm. Suddenly, we came across some boys with machines along the road. Before we knew what was happening, they started shooting sporadically in the air. They shot my little boy, Chibuike Aja. He is 9 years.”
A member of Obegu Mkpuma-Akpatakpa vigilante, Emmanuel Nwokporo, said that they were on duty in the Nwofe when
they were attacked.
“We were on duty when our kinsman came around on high speed. So, we flagged him down and queried why he was riding recklessly. He started
abusing us and accused us of flashing torchlight to his face.
“He said that he was going to deal with us. He left. Shortly, he returned with some of his gang members who came with vehicle. Before
we knew what was happening, there were gunshots everywhere. Seven of us were shot but one person died”.
