ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- There is palpable tension as troops of the Nigerian Army reportedly invaded Obeagu Community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The Punch reports that some community leaders on Monday morning, disclosed that the troops who invaded the community around 5am, had been shooting sporadically and allegedly burning some houses.
It was gathered that the soldiers entered the community with 10 Hilux vehicles and seven armored tanks with over 100 military personnel.
Though it was not clear why the military invaded the community, however, no death have been recorded so far, except one woman who was said to have been hit by stray bullet.
A community leader and immediate past Councilor of the community who confirmed the invasion said: “We woke up this morning with military gunshots. As I am speaking everybody is on the run. Soldiers are shooting in all the communities. All the Eha-Amufu people that ran to our community after Fulani herdsmen sacked them are also on the run with residents.”
Another resident, Ogbuabor Sunday said that they were in the morning mass, Catholic early morning prayer, when the soldiers rolled tanks to the community.
“I was in the church this early morning around around 5:30pm when military vehicles numbering over 30 including armored tanks rolled into the community. Shortly after they started shooting sporadically. None of the people who came to church this morning had gone home. I am answering this call inside the bush,” Ogbuabor said.
It was further gathered that the invading soldiers were questioning some women and aged people who they arrested, where the camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is located in the community.
Recall that on 13 October, 2022, armed herdsmen invaded the same community and killed one person, wounded two and kidnapped three which the community paid millions in ransom to secure their release.
Recall also that armed herdsmen invaded the community on 29 March, 2021 and killed 21 people. In all the invasion neither the soldiers nor police intervened in the attack that lasted for nearly 12hrs.
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful as the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82DV, Major Jonathan Unuakhalu, did not answer his calls or respond to text messages sent to his phone as at the time of filing this report.