Some elderly persons, including persons with disabilities in Lilu, Okija, Isseke, Orshumoghu, Uburuisizo, Amorka, among others in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, have shared a harrowing account of how gunmen turned the once peaceful communities into a place of bloodbath and persistent “mindless killings of our kith and kin.
They spoke after a recent attack on Lilu community on Sunday, December 7, where some yet-to-identified assailants stormed the St. Andrews Anglican Church, killing the wife of the priest and one other person while injuring several others.
Our correspondent who visited some of the communities on Monday gathered that the gunmen activities began in the communities about five years ago following “secessionist agitations” and over the years, over 100 indigenes have allegedly been murdered while several others were taken away.
The elderly indigenes, who spoke to South-East said several efforts made to attract the attention of the state government, security agencies and other relevant authorities to their plight have not yielded any results as they have continued to remain as refugees in their homeland while the youths have fled.
Sharing her experience with tears, a 70-year-old retired teacher in Lilu, Uche Chimaike, said, “The brutal gun attacks in our community began some years ago. In our first ugly experience, 11 of our kinsmen were killed. It did not end there, these killings have continued with several houses razed, the palace of our monarch was also burnt.
“The communities in Ihiala LGA such as Lilu, Okija, Isseke, Orshumoghu, Uburuisizo, Amorka, Ebonesie have been under siege for over five years now and we have remained helpless, we no longer go to farms, our communities are deserted, we can no longer engage in trading because markets have been razed.
“Our people now go to Orie Utah, Afor Ukpor markets in Nnewi South LGA to do their buying and selling while many people, especially the youths have fled the communities. And in the most recent attack that occurred at the St. Andrews Anglican Church two Sundays ago, nine persons lost their lives, including the priest’s wife.
“So far, over 20 indigenes have lost their lives in the recent spree of killings in our community. The gunmen took some kinsmen away, saying they were going to sacrifice them to their gods. Anyone who speaks out is usually killed the next day.
“Last Friday, we held a peaceful march to the state government house in Awka, to draw their attention to our plight, they promised to get back to us, but till now, nothing has been heard from the state government.
“We call on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to come to our assistance, everyday remains a struggle for the community, as our kinsmen are get kidnapped, slaughtered or just disappeared without trace.”
Also speaking, a 72-year-old farmer from Isseke, Pa Godwin Uzor, said, “It is lamentable that since the attack on Sunday, December 7, at the St. Andrews Anglican Church in Lilu, where some lives were lost, no arrest has been made and there is no presence of security in our communities.
“We even got report that the Agunechemba operatives, the state security outfit, have been withdrawn from the communities on the orders of their commander. This is after we carried out the protest at the government house. As it is, we are just on our own.”
A survivor of the Sunday attack in a church in Lilu, who identified himself simply as Chika, said the gunmen “turned a peaceful community into a bloodbath haven, killing at several people and injuring many others”.
Chika, a member of the community Welfare Association, said he narrowly escaped with his life after sustaining gunshot wounds to his hand and stomach.
Speaking from his hospital bed, he described the terrifying moment the armed men invaded their church and opened fire indiscriminately.
A video of his testimony, delivered in Igbo language, has since gone viral on social media.
“That day was our special thanksgiving activity, we were preparing to commence activities when suddenly some people carrying guns came in. We thought they were policemen, we didn’t know they were on a mission to kill us, but before we knew what was happening, they started shooting indiscriminately and in the process, killed the priest’s wife.
“After the repeated gunshots, they forced their way into the house of the priest where they set it ablaze and also set some vehicles and church properties on fire.”
Another community leader in Orsumoghu, Pa Gabriel Udoh, bemoaned the situation. Saying about 85 per cent of the whole community now lived in exile in neighbouring communities. He added that there is no household in Orsumoghu that has no member who has been murdered or kidnapped.
A palace representative of the community traditional ruler, Osita Chinedu, in its comments, appealed to the state governor for quick assistance, describing the incessant killings in the area and the brutal killing of the wife of the priest of St. Andrews Anglican Church, and the burning of the church properties on Sunday as “sacrilegious, inhumane and an abomination”.
He lamented a situation where gunmen have overrun their communities carrying out several attacks without the police or security agencies able to resist, adding that it is worrisome that no arrest has been made since the recent attacks on the church.
However, when contacted on the development, the Spokesman for the state police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said, “No arrest has been made, but serious security operations are ongoing in the areas. Further details will be communicated soon.”