For sometime now, fear is mounting in Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State as suspected unknown gunmen, parade the communities, freely.
Sometime last week, they visited schools warning the pupils to always adhere to sit-at-home orders or be taught discipline the hard way.
Few days later, they allegedly attacked an Okada rider and a vigilante operative along Mmiata-Umueze Anam road, while the Okada rider luckily survived, the vigilante operative is alleged to have died.
Earlier, security agencies raised the alarm that unknown gunmen were hiding in the bushes around Mmiata and Umuenwelum. The operatives however alleged some people in the area may be shielding them from arrests.
A senior police officer, who does not want to be mentioned said, a team of security officers including the Army had mobilized to the area on several occasions with heavy equipment. But could not make arrests because the unknown gunmen were informed about their coming, before the officers got there.
He said, “There is enough evidence that these people are hiding somewhere around Mmiata and Umuenwelum bushes, in Anambra West and it appears that either the villagers are protecting them or are afraid of exposing them. Each time, we go there to flush them out, they will get wind of it and flee and when we leave, they will resurface. “
A concerned indigene said, “The risk of allowing the unknown gunmen stay in the area is that with time, they will mix up with the natives and that will be too bad; because it will make it more difficult for security agencies to separate the unknown gunmen from the legal residents and may be forced to kill innocent people in any attack.”
Stakeholders who spoke to Multichannels234 are therefore calling on vigilante groups and security agencies to take decisive action to avoid loss of lives and to enable the people who are majorly farmers, go about their lawful farming business.
The hiding of the unknown gunmenn the bushes in Anambra West used to be an issue only very few people dare discuss in the public. However, the police that cover the area insist that unknown gunmen have infiltrated the area, thereby worsening the security situation and increasing criminal activities in the area.
They urged everyone to brace up, especially the vigilante, the town union executive, traditional rulers and various stakeholders to collaborate with the security forces, in terms of providing credible information, to flush out the unknown gunmen and save innocent lives before it gets out of hand.
