Not less than eight persons were been over the weekend as gunmen attacked a beer parlour and military post in Anambra State.
Five were on Friday night killed by the gunmen in a beer parlour at Osumenyi, in Nnewi South Local Government Area. While three other persons were killed as security operatives engaged gunmen in a shoot out at the Military post in Agulu, Anaocha local government area, close to the house of the former Minister of Information, late Prof Dora Akunyili.
An eyewitness told The Nation that bodies of five persons were seen around the beer parlour after the incident but another source said the casualties were more.
The incident took place at a joint in Obofia village in the community popularly known as Uto Ndu, with the owner as one of the victims.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, said that the command had not received such report.
However, he said the command was still making contacts on the said incident.
But one of the Senior Police Officers in the state who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident, adding that it happened at about 8.30pm on Friday.
The source further said that security operatives both military, Police and others had been deployed to the area and its environs to prevent a repeat of such occurrence.
Meanwhile, no one knew the purpose of such attack in the sleepy community.
According to a source, “the gunmen stormed the place and opened fire on customers who were drinking and having fun and in the process, they killed the people including the owner of the restaurant.”
A trending video seen by this reporter showed that the owner of the joint was a woman.
In the past one month now, the target of the gunmen had been beer parlours and local government headquarters in Anambra State.
Recently, they invaded the Nnewi South Local Government Headquarters in Ukpor and set some buildings and offices ablaze, killing a security man on duty.
Also, on Easter day, they attacked a beer parlour and a fast food joint close to the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in the Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State .
The incident at the military post happened around 3.30pm Saturday.
Although no details had been given by security operatives, journalists gathered that the gunmen stormed the place in three different vehicles and opened fire on the security operatives, who quickly returned fire.
And in the process, three of the hoodlums were killed and others received bullet wounds.
An eyewitness who said the security operatives fought like wounded lions despite being taken unawares by the gunmen.
According to the source, “I now respect our security men, they are gallant indeed. I thought those criminals would finish them up, but they responded immediately and they ran away with their vehicles.
“But by then, three of them were already lying on the floor because we were watching them from upstairs.”
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu confirmed the gun battle between security operatives and the gunmen.
However, he said the command had not received full details of what transpired and could not give further clarification on casualties.
“Yes, I heard there was a shootout at Agulu, I’m still waiting to receive the details, which, for now are sketchy. Until I receive it in full, I will not be able to talk further on the incident,” the PPRO said.
