Crime

Gunmen Abduct Eight and Injure Twelve at Anambra Traditional Ceremony

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 17th, 2024.

Gunmen Abduct Eight and Injure Twelve at Anambra Traditional Ceremony

A traditional title ceremony in Amakor village, Nanka Community, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State turned violent when gunmen abducted eight guests and injured twelve others during the event.

Emmanuel Ilo, an Ozo title holder who was present, described his escape as a stroke of luck. He recounted that despite the efforts of the police stationed at the venue to repel the attackers, they were quickly overpowered.

Ilo explained: “As the event neared its peak, armed men, some with their faces covered, burst into the venue. They were accompanied by local residents and began attacking immediately. They disrupted the event, brutalized participants and organizers, and inflicted severe injuries, including kicks to sensitive areas, while some of the attackers wore police uniforms.”

Following the assault, eight individuals, including the Amakor village chairman, Barr. Obinna Ilo, Emerie Ilo, Sam Eminike, and Chief Asina Okafor, were forcibly loaded into Sienna vans and driven away to an unknown location. Other attendees managed to flee and have since gone into hiding.

Ilo noted that the abducted individuals’ phones have been turned off, and there has been no communication from the kidnappers with the victims’ families, leaving their current status uncertain. The motives and identities of the abductors remain unknown, creating anxiety for both the families and the community.

When approached for comment, Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, stated he was unaware of the incident and advised the community to report any information to the nearest police station. He also denied any involvement of police officers in the kidnapping, asserting that if police were involved, the families would have been contacted.