Two persons were killed yesterday, when gunmen attacked some residents at New Market, in Enugu-South local government area of Enugu State.
The gunmen, who reportedly stormed the area at about 6:25 a.m., also attacked residents at different locations of the state.
Residents said the gunmen were wearing masks on their faces and operated in a tricycle.
It was learnt that the hoodlums, numbering about 10, shot indiscriminately at Abakpa Nike, in Enugu-East Council Area and Holy Ghost Junction in Enugu-North local council area, forcing traders and other residents to scamper for safety. The attack came barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked Imo communities, killing a police officer and an elder brother to Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme, Prince Iheme,
Like in Imo, the gunmen who carried out attacks in Enugu were said to be enforcing a- five-day controversial sit-at-home declared by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The identities of the victims could not however be ascertained.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to calls \seeking comments from him about the attacks in the state.
Recall that a controversial Biafra agitator and leader of pro-Biafran group, Autopilot IPOB, a faction of the IPOB, Simon Ekpa, had declared a five day sit-at-home across Nigeria’s south-east to be observed from 9 to 14 December. Tuesday, 13 December, was excluded.
Ekpa, who made the declaration on Wednesday, claimed that the sit-at-home order was in response to some “pro-active measures” being put in place by unnamed Biafran agitators to address the rising insecurity in the region, which according to him, was caused by Nigerian government. He warned residents of the region to stay indoors throughout the five-day period or have themselves to blame if they disobey the order.
However, several Igbo leaders condemned the declaration and urged residents of the region to disregard the order.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the IPOB, repeatedly disowned the declaration and asked residents of the region to ignore it.
