Gunmen on Saturday night attacked Akpoha community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and killed three persons.
Many residents of the community sustained varying degree of injuries during the attack.
Those killed included a member of the state’s defunct Ebubeagu Security Network which transformed into Neighborhood Security Watch (NSW), a female trader and a man who was staying close to the slain vigilante member.
A resident of the area, Uche Donatus, told Daily Sun that about 10 bullets were inside the body of the killed local security guard.
He noted that bullets from the sporadic shooting by the gunmen were hitting the roof of his house which forced him out of the house.
“Our community was attacked on Saturday night. Three persons are lying dead as I speak to you.
“One of the three victims is a member of Ebubeagu Security Network. He has up to 10 bullets in his body.
“The gunmen came with two motorcycles. When they were leaving, one of the motorcycles refused to on and they continued shooting heavily until it started and they left.
“These are the three persons that were killed after a heavy shooting at AkpohaIgbo by gunmen who came to execute this mayhem with two motorcycles.
“Their names are; Emmanuel Nwacha Egwu, Nicholas Nwacha and Inya Blessing Orieona. Killings in Akpoha have become regular occurrence and nothing has been done to stop it. We are in trouble,” he said.
Uche who is the Youth President of Akpoha community, said Emmanuel Nwacha is the leader of Neighbourhood Security Watch in the area and Chief Security Officer of the company handling construction of a new bridge by the federal government in the community.
He disclosed that many bullets were picked by policemen in the community who evacuated the bodies of the deceased.
Coordinator of Akpoha Development Centre, Kenneth Orji Obasi who confirmed the incident said bodies of the victims have been deposited in the morgue.
He noted that the he received a call that gunmen were shooting heavily on Akpoha Junction around 8pm on Saturday and he sent some members of the Neighborhood Security Watch to the scene.
“On getting to the scene, I saw three persons lying dead on the ground. I have taken their corpses to the mortuary while the incident has been reported to the police,” Obasi said.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu said he was yet to receive report on the incident.