Nick Udenta
After many months of relative peace in South East Nigeria, gunmen have started their menace in the region again with the attempted killing of Dr. Ben Nwankwo, the Chief of Staff to Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, who narrowly escaped an assassination attempt last weekend.
According to the story, his convoy was ambushed by gunmen on the Ufuma–Amansea road in Anambra State. While Dr. Nwankwo emerged unhurt, two police orderlies and his driver were tragically killed in the attack.
Also, during the weekend, reports indicate that no fewer than eight persons were feared killed on Saturday when unidentified gunmen attacked Abacheke community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants stormed a security checkpoint in the area and opened fire, resulting in multiple casualties.
According to the source, some security operatives were among those killed in the attack.
The gunmen were also said to have set about six houses ablaze during the raid, throwing the community into panic.
“They killed about eight people, including a security man. The attack was targeted at a checkpoint. It was like a war. They shot for some time and set about six houses ablaze,” the source said.
“There is serious tension and fear in the community. Some residents have fled the area for fear of another attack,” the source added.
It was, however, unclear whether the attack was linked to the sit-at-home declared by pro-Biafra groups to mark Biafra Day or if the gunmen were carrying out a different mission.
This attack was conformed later but the police did not issue any statement.
However, there was rumoured attack at Awgu junction in Enugu state during the weekend, along the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway. According to the stories on social media, many people were killed during the attack, which was supposed to happen at the boundary between Agwu in Enugu state and Ishiagu in Ebonyi state.
But investigations have confirmed that the attack was a fake report being circuited by social media bloggers. In fact, observers in the state spoken to said there was no attack at Awgu Junction in Enugu state because none was confirmed.
In fact, the Enugu state government and the Enugu state police command have officially debunked and dismissed the reports as false.
The Enugu State Government released a statement calling the widely circulated social media reports and videos of killings at the location completely fake and
The Enugu State Police Command stated that investigations into the viral video revealed the event did not occur as portrayed and warned the public against spreading unverified and inflammatory information designed to cause panic.
But there have been attempts to explain the gunmen attack in Anambra and Imo states targeting government and its officials, including security operatives. Is it the re-emergence of the unknown gunmen saga or was it a one-off action triggered by what is yet to be understood? Has it got any connection with the Biafra anniversary of May 30? These are posers that need an answer.
On the fake reports, it has become a contemptuous tradition among the bloggers from South Eastern part of the country to publish fake stories about insecurity but no one can say whether they do that because they are paid to do so; or they do that because they want to attract traffic to their site. But whatever reason why they do that, they ought to know that investors and others travel to parts of the country that are deemed safe. If they continue to circulate fake security reports to frighten the public, investors will not come and set up business in the region to create jobs which the people desire to have.
There are suggestions in some quarters that governments of the South East region should track those who publish fake security reports and upload fake videos and arrest them; take them to court ad charge them. When such arrests are made on a handful of them, others will learn from it.
