It is not the best of times for the residents of Awka, the Anambra State capital, This is because the city currently is under the siege of gunmen, who have killed more than 15 persons under two weeks.
According to report, at the last count, over 15 residents have been murdered in cold blood within the last two weeks. These include some victims who cannot be identified as cultists. The development has, therefore, promoted the belief that what is happening could be targeted assassinations.
However, DAILY POST reports that the major problem seems to be a struggle for the control of revenue windows. This has to do with the collection of taxes from bus drivers and commercial tricycle riders in the area.
The orgy of killings started on Easter Sunday of 2024 when as much as six youths were reportedly gunned down.
According to a source quoted by DAILY POST, while the people who were predominantly Christians were preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, at Easter, mayhem struck. Gunmen descended on the city in Rambo-style, murdering some people in the process.
“Some were felled at Okpuno area, behind Juhel, others were murdered around Eke Awka area and Obinagu,” the source said.
It maintained that one of the incidents happened opposite Dike Park, around the Eke Awka Market, in Awka, the State capital.
“The incident happened in the noon of Sunday, and also escalated to the Obinagu area. Where some more persons were also gunned down by the cultists,” the source added.
“One of the persons hit by the bullet was a staff of the Anambra State Judiciary, simply identified as Mr. Nwofor. He was said to be innocently going about his normal business before the gunmen, believed to be cultists, struck.
Another resident of Awka, who did not want his name mentioned, said: “I suspected that there would be cult killings during that period. You know that most wanted cultists had left town. But during festive periods, they always come back home to celebrate. And their rivals use the opportunity to pay them back for their past atrocities. Which may include that they have killed their members.”
According to DAILY POST, seven days after the Easter killings, three other persons were gunned down. They were also believed to belong to secret cults in the city.
Though security operatives could not confirm the number, a source said that two of the victims were killed in her presence.
DAILY POST quoted the source to say, “Two tricycles were driving recklessly along Zik Avenue at Eke Awka. They were pursuing themselves. Around Eke Awka market, the tricycle at the front got stuck in the traffic. And one boy inside it alighted, and started running.
“Two boys in the tricycle behind, also jumped down and pursued him. He ran towards Parkers’ area, along Zik Avenue, and diverted into a road by the right, into a mechanic workshop.
“The boys pursued him into the place. They dragged him out and shot him to death. The incident caused pandemonium. As people were just running in all directions,” the source said.
“Not done, two days after the same incident, another person described as Nwanayoeze, a popular Awka youth was gunned down around tricycle park, Unizik Junction.
According to DAILY POST, traders around Unizik Junction confirmed that Nwanayoeze was a very notorious youth in the entire area. He also controlled revenue from tricycle operators in the area, and was feared by many people. Though they denied that he had any link with cultism.
The killings of Nwanayoeze did not abate. “On Thursday of the same week, a former President General of Amansea Community in Awka North Local Government Area, Chief Cajetan Nwokike was killed.
“On the following day, Friday, another man, identified as Christian was gunned down at Unizik Junction. He was said to be an indigene of Enugu State, but was managing a popular transport company in Awka. The company has fleets of luxury SUVs that ferry passengers to Abuja and Lagos.
Any Eyewitness said Christian was killed in the presence of his co-workers by the gunmen who came in a yellow tricycle. The account said the assailants were not in a hurry to leave after the assignment. After the killing, they entered their tricycle and drove away slowly.
The report stated that earlier on Wednesday evening, the gunmen caused another pandemonium at Aroma junction.
There, a youth from Amudo Village in Awka, was shot dead. He was said to be a former tricycle operator before transiting into a revenue collector.
The source said the assailants trailed him from the Ifite area of the State Capital and shot him at close range. The killing occurred at a filling station which serves as a popular bus stop for buses and tricycles.
“Few hours later, residents of the town received news of another killing at the same junction. This time, an official of the Anambra Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA) was the victim.
“The man who was killed is an ARTMA official. He stopped some people who were driving a Toyota Sienna vehicle with tinted glasses. And the people shot him and drove off. It happened just close to me, as I was boarding a vehicle this morning to go to Nnewi,” the source said.
The developments have, however, heightened security tension in the Anambra State Capital and and across the State.
source: Daily Post
