- As unknown gunmen leave 10 injured
A daredevil attack by unknown gunmen on a popular beer parlour in Obiofia Village, Osumenyi, in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State has claimed four lives, mainly youths.
Numbering about eight, the gang stormed the drinking joint on Friday evening at about 7.30 pm, killing their victims, including a lady said to be the owner of the drinking joint.
Reports indicated that no fewer than ten people sustained various degrees of injuries from the gunmen’s invasion while most others were wounded running for their lives.
It was gathered that the hitmen suddenly stormed a neighborhood bar and immediately opened fire on customers who were drinking and having fun.
Known as ‘Uto Ndu’ Beer Parlour (Swiftness of Life), the popular drinking spot is owned by the lady victim from Amichi, a nearby town to Osumenyi, also in the same council area.
An indigene of Osumenyi, who pleaded anonymity said the number of the victims, including the dead and the injured, could not be ascertained until Saturday morning because of the time of the incident, adding that people were afraid to come out following the sporadic and persistent gunshot, adding that some of the dead victims may have died due to no assistance offered them to hospital.
“I have spoken with about four victims who are close to me, and they told me that they sustained serious injuries from the invading gunmen, just like others numbering over eight.
“We are in fear here because we do not know the grouse of the invading gunmen, in fact, we are confused, as we do not know the reason this could happen in our town, we do have cult members here. Our youths are don’t involve in cult activities. It was a pure unknown gunmen activity but we do not know where they are coming from.
“While I cannot speak for anybody, I doubt if an Igbo man will just go to a drinking place where people are relaxing and enjoying themselves and open fire on them without exchanging words with them. What I know some hoodlums do is surrender them and collect their money and phones. But the gunmen came in their cars, stopped, alighted, and opened fire on people without taking anything away from them.
“We are so afraid here and we are in deep mourning because they are vibrant and responsible youths of Osumenyi, who were cooling off after the days of toiling. Is really painful my brother. We are in deep mourning and fears.”
The joint is in a very strategic place as you enter Osumenyi from Amichi, which is opposite the compound where youths from the community gather to conduct some development activities in our town.
A trending video on social media from the scene of the incident, shows the lifeless body of four of the male victims, with that of the female, said to be the owner of the drinking spot lying lifeless in their blood.
Sympathizers, friends and relatives of the victims were also seen mourning and lamenting as the corpses were being loaded in the Sienna bus suspected to be an ambulance, for evacuation to the mortuary.
“A weeping feminine voice was also heard in the background lamenting in the Igbo language, “What have we done oooo? Who have we offended? What did we do to deserve all this kind of attack and killing?”
The Osumenyi attack is coming barely one month after gunmen invaded the Nnewi South Local Government Headquarters in Ukpor and set some buildings and offices ablaze, after which they also killed a security man guarding the premises.
After razing the council headquarters which attracted the state governor to the scene, the gunmen went ahead the next day to torch three Police stations in Ezinifte, Amichi and Osumenyi.
On Easter day, some gunmen also attacked another beer parlour and fast food joint, known as the ‘Sophia Fast Food’, located close to the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba South Local Government Area of the State, where they also attacked and robbed customers who were having a fun-filled Easter bash at the restaurant.
At the time of this report, the Anambra State Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, had not confirmed the Friday night attack.
Contacted on the incident, he only replied; “Enquiries are still ongoing and I will revert back to you when I get clear information on the incident.” – With Vanguard reports
