Mr Ebuka Okeh, a member of a vigilante group of Eke community in Enugu’s Udi local government, and an unnamed housewife being transported on a motorcycle by her husband were reportedly killed by gunshots fired by the Nigerian Army two weeks ago on Thursday, June 29.
The News Digest understands that Mr Ebuka and members of his “Gallant Security Guards”, founded by the agrarian Eke Community of Udi, were responding to a security breach in the neighbourhood on the night the 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu opened fire on them.
According to locals, the route between St. Paul’s Secondary School and the Ama Brewery has long been a target of nightly attacks because of the lack of police patrol vans and operatives that are normally accessible during the day.
As a result, the men in the communities formed a security vigilante group in response to the government’s call for residents to help protect their communities from the prevalence of kidnapping.
One of the injured men from the army fire, Emeka Anigbo, told the News Digest that the group thought they would be assisted by the military during the operation until the military began shooting at them.
“We sited some military personnel who unknown to them have arrived at the scene before them from a military check point stationed some 50 meters away,” Mr Anigbo said on his hospital bed where he was receiving treatment from the injuries he sustained.
“The military men attached to the 82 division, Nigeria Army, Enugu ordered us to halt our advance. However, we were able to quickly identify ourselves as members of the community vigilante group after which we were allowed to advance only for the soldiers to open fire frontally on us.”
Mr Anigbo revealed that a member of the guard was discovered with his manhood damaged after the Nigerian Army attack.
He went on to say that the group obtained permission from the Divisional Police Officer of the 9th Mile Division in the community, who had previously been notified about the hoodlums’ attack, before deciding on the night’s engagement.
“The DPO encouraged the vigilante men to move ahead of them while they follow closely,” Mr Anigbo revealed.
Questions Arise Over Nigerian Army’s Actions in Enugu Shooting
As of the time of publishing this report, the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary, while the injured were still being treated at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the 82 Division Nigerian Army has denied any misconduct. Colonel Jonah Umuahkalu, the division’s spokesperson, confirmed to News Digest that military forces reacted to an emergency on the stated night but merely engaged the criminals in a shoot-out.
According to Col Umuahkalu, the deceased and injured victims got caught in the crossfire between the criminals and the army.
The incident surrounding the deaths of the guard and the housewife has also sparked debate in the community. Locals have begun to agitate for justice for the deceased victims and to question the army’s intent on the night of the killing.
They questioned why the army was so quick to injure the guards who were also reacting to the same emergency and not the recognised offenders.
Locals have also questioned why the army would shoot at fully-identified volunteers wearing their job uniforms, or even shoot to kill, rather than demobilise them.
Survivor Anigbo added that the military operatives only stopped shooting at the guards when the police patrol team which promised to offer back-up finally showed up.
“They showed up and was able to prevail on the military boys to withhold further assault,” he said.
