Residents of Umuopu community in Enugu Ezike, Igboeze-Eorth Local Government Area of Enugu State were thrown into mourning at the weekend over the murder of the wife of a well known vigilante leader Akada by gunmen.
The incident occurred three weeks after a commander of Umuopu community vigilance group Levi was shot dead by a group of hoodlums in the area..
The deceased, Ogochukwu Onuh, was shot dead on Friday night when his husband escaped from the assailants.
According to reports, the gunmen attacked Akada’s home but he managed to escape while his wife was shot.
She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
It was gathered that the deceased’s husband had been the reason the community had not been totally conquered by gunmen, who operate in the name of secessionist agitations.
A village source told our correspondent that Akada and other security operatives in the village were being accused of sabotaging the efforts of the gunmen in making the area their permanent camp.
“Severally, Akada, the late Levi and some other vigilante members have been attacked. We know the police know these hoodlums terrorising this community and the entire Enugu Ezike. But the police themselves seem to be afraid.
“A few occasions soldiers came to raid their hideouts. They didn’t do good job because they only seemed to have come to inform the hoodlums that they were on their way coming. Of course, the guys escaped from bush.
“Since that time a few of these vigilante men have been operating alone. That’s why their houses are being set ablaze while members of their families are constantly living in fear,” a village source said.
While lamenting that many residents have fled, the villagers called on the state government to do something about the situation to avoid the area being turned into an ungovernable space.
