By Mick Oseji, Asaba
A pall of panic and confusion fell on Ekwulobia and Oko in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Wednesday, forcing residents to flee in different directions in search of safety as about a dozen of unidentified gunmen renewed attacks on the two communities .
The gunmen, in their numbers, stormed the areas and commenced shooting indiscriminately, killing about four persons and injuring many others in the Wednesday morning assault.
This comes less than 36 hours after a video showing where Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State claimed that the Igbo criminals, not Fulani herdsmen, were behind the wave of kidnappings and kìllíngs plaguing Anambra and other parts of the South – East geopolitical zone.
Videos making the rounds on social media about the latest attack showed that heavily armed men invaded the community at about 8 am on Wednesday, fired indiscriminately and disrupted early morning business activities.
The attackers also set ablaze some vehicles, including one of the security vehicles used by the joint security team in the area.
Multiple residents in the community said four persons were kílled and several others injured, but the Anambra State Police Command puts the casualty figure at two.
A resident said, “Today(Wednesday), about a dozen of heavily armed hoodlums entered the Ekwulobia community at about 8.00 am and took position at the newly-built bridge at the centre of the town from where they first launched attacks on the joint security patrol team of the police and the army as well as members of the state Agunaechemba security.
“There was panic, then confusion everywhere, and most of the people, workers going to work and traders coming from their homes to open their shops, ran in different directions in search of safety. The shootings occurred for several minutes before the arrival of the security team, who engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.
“About four persons were already recorded dead, and many others injured. Two people were shot while in a tricycle.”
However, the state police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the joint security task force had taken over the area on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, and that normalcy had returned.
Ikenga stated two members of the public died from gunshot injuries while a security vehicle was burnt
He said, “The Anambra State Police Command-led security force contained a shooting incident in the early hours of today, July 9, 2025, at Oko and Ekwulobia flyover, Aguata Local Government Area.
“The team also demobilised one of the armed criminals, recovered one AK-47 rifle, one automatic pump action gun and four vehicles at the scene as the operatives sustained the onslaught operations in the area.
“The vehicles recovered include one red Toyota Camry vehicle with Reg No: ENU 58 SC, custom colour GLK Mercedes Benz without a registration number, golden colour Lexus 330 with Reg No: ENU 815 AP and one ash Toyota Highlander with Reg No: GDD 517 RW.
“The armed criminals unprovokedly shot indiscriminately under the Ekwulobia flyover. Consequently, in a swift response, the joint security team engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.
“Regrettably, the incident recorded the death of two unsuspecting members of the public and the burning of a brown Toyota Sienna vehicle allegedly belonging to the Anambra State Vigilante Group. Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and deposited in the morgue.”
