The Ebonyi State Neighbourhood Security Watch Commander in charge of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State, Leonard Igwe, has narrated his ordeal in the hands of his attackers.
The state-funded civilian security commander’s compound was invaded by gunmen in the early hours of August 13.
The hoodlums, numbering about 20, set ablaze the Commander’s vehicles, including his official car, parked in his compound.
Igwe and about 14 other persons, including his brother and wife taking shelter in his house, narrowly escaped death as the hoodlums attempted to burn the house with all of them inside.
Narrating the incident to some journalists on Monday, Igwe noted that the violent attack was the second he has experienced between late last year and now.
The Commander narrated: “On 13th August, 2023 around 3am, a bus and one keke (tricycle) entered my residence.
“I was watching them through my window and thought that they were policemen because they usually come to my place to check me up while on patrol.
“Through their movements, I found out that they were not policemen so I flashed my torch towards their direction and asked who they were.
“Immediately, they ran behind their car and hid, and I understood at that time that they could be unknown gunmen on a mission.
“They immediately mobilised their men to surround my house and positioned themselves, two each at the four corners of my building, shouting: ‘No Nnamdi Kanu, no peace. If you don’t release Nnamdi Kanu there will be no peace. If you like be Police, Army, Ebubeagu, Neighbourhood Watch or even Dave Umahi, we will get all of you down.’
“I asked them what they want from me and if I am the one holding Nnamdi Kanu.
“They were talking to me and I was responding.
“As I was talking, they began to pour fuel on my vehicles, a white Sienna bus the state government gave me for my work and my Rover car, and set them ablaze.
“They also broke the glasses of my house and poured fuel to burn it down, but as God will have it, the fire did not catch.
“They went back and pushed the smaller car close to the wall of my house and put wood connecting to the ceiling line of the house, but it still did not catch fire.
“I and my household, about 15 of us, were inside the house: myself and my wife, my brother who came back from Enugu on 12th August with his wife, and some refugees taking shelter with us.
“In fact, they wanted to burn us together with the house, but God did not allow them succeed.
“At one point, I attempted to escape with my family through the back door, but the hoodlums stationed there were ready to shoot with their AK-47 rifles.
“It was on my third attempt that I noticed that the attackers had gone, so we left for a safe place.”
Igwe informed newsmen that the gunmen spent over one hour in his compound from 3am to some minutes past 4am.
He added: “The security agencies came around at about 8am because I had to call one of our security personnel who I had his number off hand to contact the local government chairman as I was not with my phone.
“My house is in the boundary area between Agila, Benue State and Ngbo, my community.
“This is not the first time I’m being attacked this year.
“Hoodlums attacked me on January 31st this year at the Neighbourhood Watch office at Ngbo West and burnt my Sienna bus then and now my two other cars.”
When contacted, the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local government Area, Ikechukwu Odono, confirmed the attack.
While condemning the attack, he also said it was not the first against the commander has been attacked.
Odono said: “This is the second time the commander of the Neighbourhood Watch is being attacked.
“They first attacked him at the security office late last year and burnt a Sienna bus he was using for his work.
“Yesterday, early hours, they attacked his house and burnt two of his cars.
“They also tried to burn his house, which part was affected.
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“I totally condemn the act and I have asked the security agencies to do all they can to apprehend the hoodlums.”
Also confirming the incident, the State Commander of the Neighbourhood Security Watch, Friday Ujor, explained that some perpetrators of the previous attack had been arrested.
Ujor revealed that the outfit in collaboration with the Police had begun an investigation to track down the hoodlums who carried out the recent attack.