Gunmen Enforcing Sit-at-home Reportedly Shoot One Dead, Burn Vehicles In Imo

Some gunmen who were reportedly enforcing a purported sit-at-home order have caused serious panic in Imo State.

The gunmen reportedly shot one person dead and burnt a vehicle in Isinweke community in Ihitte Uboma LGA of Imo state.

According to a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the gunmen raided the community on Wednesday morning. They allegedly burned several vehicles, including shuttle buses, private cars, and motorcycles, and shot one of the vehicle's occupants, leaving him bleeding in a nearby shop.

Iheanyi Daniel Enwerem, a resident of the community, also reported the incident on his Facebook page, saying the gunmen were shooting indiscriminately and asking people to observe the sit-at-home order.

“This morning criminals operating in South East Nigeria came again in Imo. They visited Isinweke Ihitte/Uboma, burning two motorcycles, a bus and tricycle (Keke). According to eyewitness they were shooting sporadically in the air, warning people to observe the sit-at-home. Ala-Igbo is weeping,” he said.

This is the latest in a string of atrocities carried out in the Southeast by gunmen linked to separatist Simon Ekpa.

Ekpa, a Finland-based self-proclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, had declared a five-day sit-at-home across 'Biafra land' (South-East region of Nigeria) comprising five states – Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi.

He declared the sit-at-home from December 9 to 13 to test the resolve of the people to boycott the 2023 general elections.

Though it officially ended on Tuesday, December 13, some hoodlums reportedly enforced the sit-at-home on Wednesday, causing tension in some parts of the region.

However, the detained leader of IPOB, Kanu, through his counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, countered the directive and asked IPOB faithful to ignore the order as he never authorised it.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that gunmen attacked and burnt a police patrol vehicle in New Market area on Saturday morning.

A police source who confirmed the attack to SaharaReporters said no life was lost, but he didn't provide further details.

It was gathered that more than 10 hoodlums stormed the area as early as 6 am probably to shut down the market but met some policemen on the ground and hence attacked them.

They were reported to have engaged the policemen deployed to the market in a gun battle and eventually succeeded in setting ablaze their patrol vehicle.