Gunmen attacked the Ogbaru Local Government Area secretariat in Anambra State on Friday, causing significant destruction to buildings and properties.
The attack took place in the early hours at the Atani headquarters when unknown assailants stormed the facility with heavy weapons.
According to sources, the gunmen, numbering about 30, launched their assault from the Umuzu and Amiyi axis, armed with guns and dynamites. “The hooligans came armed to the teeth, targeting the local government with heavy weaponry,” a source disclosed.
While the attack caused extensive damage, no lives were lost. It was reported that the only structures left partially standing were the building housing the local government chairman’s office and the canteen. “They burnt four buildings and one vehicle in the local government,” another source confirmed.
This incident is not the first time the Ogbaru Local Government headquarters has been targeted.
A previous attack on the secretariat resulted in the burning of buildings and vehicles within the premises. The identities of the attackers remain unclear, though suspicions often point towards secessionist elements.
Local sources lamented that the Amuzu and Amiyi communities have been notorious dens of unknown gunmen for over a year. “Criminals from these areas have continued to carry out terrible attacks, kidnapping several persons and killing many, including police personnel and vigilante members,” a resident stated.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack, stating: “The attack was on Ogbaru LGA in the early hours of today, 30/8/2024.
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Security operatives gallantly resisted the gunmen, but some LGA properties were destroyed, some buildings were also affected, but no lives were lost.” He added that a joint security operation was ongoing in the area to track down the criminals.
Residents have expressed their fears, noting that the criminal elements who have taken over Umuzu and Amiyi often operate with impunity. “We have been living in fear in this local government because of these criminal elements,” one source said.
The source also suggested that the gunmen may have attacked the secretariat to instill fear in the residents, showing that they were still active.
