Ladies Brutality Increasing By The Day

ONITSHA – Armed robbers yesterday killed five members of Oba local vigilante group who were on patrol within the community, even as over seven other passers-by were hit by stray bullets at Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the armed robbers trailed the vigilante men for some time in their black Sports Utility Vehicle, caught up with them at 8th Mile junction, along Oba old road and opened fire on them, killing five of the six occupants of the Toyota Hilux van in which they were patrolling, while one escaped with severe bullet wounds. An eyewitness said bodies of the dead five were shattered by bullets.

The eyewitness said: “I was just by a pole away from the scene but I was watching these people, immediately the patrol vehicle stopped, I also saw a black Infiniti Jeep that drove and packed behind them, very close to them, a girl came down from the jeep with another boy armed with AK 47 and a machine gun.

“They opened fire on the van, even the vigilante men were still in their vehicle, either discussing or doing any other thing, they had not even opened the door of their van, then the sound of the gun threw everybody into confusion.

“The girl was the one who told two motorcycle operators (Okada) to pass that they were not the people they were looking for, so the girl was just focusing her rifle on the van, emptying the magazine, while the other boy was just watching their sides and also pumping the trigger rapidly at the vehicle. After they finished their mission, they entered the jeep, reversed and drove away unchallenged.”

Another eyewitness also told Vanguard that the robbers were more than five, adding that about three members of the gang were at different strategic places, watching out for either police or other external force.

According his account, the only survivor of the six vigilante members was the driver who escaped with severe bullets wounds when he opened the door to run away.

Reacting to the attack, Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the incident and said efforts were on to arrest the gang. VANGUARD