Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen, emerging from nearby bushes, chanted songs and fired shots into the air, causing panic among local residents
Anambra State – In the early hours of Friday, the Ogbaru Local Government Secretariat in Anambra State was attacked and set ablaze by a large group of gunmen.
The assailants, reportedly numbering around 30, stormed the premises around 5 a.m., setting multiple buildings on fire, including a town hall intended for traditional rulers and various administrative facilities.
This incident marks the second attack on the Ogbaru Local Government Area in just over two months, following a similar assault on June 15, 2024.
Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen, emerging from nearby bushes, chanted songs and fired shots into the air, causing panic among local residents. “They trekked from their hideouts, reached the Atani Magistrate Court near the council, and began setting buildings ablaze, including the main secretariat and traditional rulers’ buildings,” one source stated.
The attackers were reportedly preparing to torch additional structures when security forces arrived at the scene. The swift response from the police forced the gunmen to flee back into the bushes.
No casualties were reported during the attack, although the area has seen a recent uptick in violence. Just days earlier, a security guard known as CY succumbed to injuries sustained during a gun battle with gunmen in the Amiyi community on August 27, 2024.
Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, confirmed the incident. He reported that a joint security operation is currently underway to apprehend the attackers. “The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Nnaghe Itam, has condemned the attack. The security operatives gallantly resisted the gunmen’s assault, resulting in their retreat due to the superior firepower,” Ikenga said. He assured the public that further developments would be communicated as the situation unfolds.
The recent wave of violence in Ogbaru has raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the area, with locals expressing fear and frustration over the lack of effective intervention. In recent weeks, the community has witnessed multiple violent incidents, including the deaths of two young men on August 5 and the beating death of a retired policeman by the same criminal gang.
The June 15 attack on the Ogbaru LG, which involved a group of assailants arriving on motorcycles and shooting indiscriminately, resulted in the destruction of four patrol vehicles belonging to local vigilantes. The police have condemned these ongoing attacks as acts of cowardice, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Join our Channel...