Gunmen kidnap six in Enugu community

• Published date: 21 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

No less than six persons have been kidnapped in a one-week siege by gunmen at Ikem community in Isi-Uzo local government area of Enugu State.

The situation has worsened security matters in Isi-uzo Local Government Area that is yet to recover from the wanton killings by suspected herdsmen militia at Eha-Amufu, a neighboring community.

For three days running, the masked gunmen laid siege on Ikem-Isioroto along Obollo Afor - Nkalagu road and drove the villagers into the bush.

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On Monday, January 16, eight masked gunmen attacked five young men, including the chairman of Federated Ikem Improvement Union Enugu branch, Mr. Emeka Odoh (aka Asokwa) as they concluded a security meeting in the neighbourhood.

Asokwa told newsmen that he was home from Enugu to join other members of the committee to find ways to strengthen the local security ahead of the coming general elections so as to ensure that people will exercise their franchise in peace.

He said: 'As we drove out of the meeting venue, we found four gunmen on the main road brandishing guns. I was driving and instinctively reversed the car and behold there were another set of four gunmen behind us.

'The gunmen opened fire on us, shattering all the windscreens and the four tires, but I bravely drove through the hell of bullets with flat tires to safety.

'One of us was badly hit by the bullets and was immediately rushed to Enugu where eight bullets were extracted from his body by surgeons. He is still recuperating at the intensive care unit of the hospital'.

Enraged that their preys had escaped, the gunmen kidnapped two commercial motorcycle riders and made their escape through a bush route towards the boundary with Benue State.

As they withdrew, they robbed adjoining houses and stole food items and condiments.

The villagers narrated that as they were still reeling under the shock, the gunmen returned on Tuesday and kidnapped a native who was home from Enugu and a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who is his...