Anaku youths invade Omor community, kill 8, scores missing

Youths of Anaku Community in Ayamelum Council of Anambra State, in the early hours of Monday, invaded Omor Community, killing eight, including a woman.

The attackers were also said to have abducted six other young men, and allegedly took them to a notorious shrine known as Ekwensu Anaku in Anaku Community. It was gathered that their whereabouts are still unknown.
When The Guardian visited the troubled town, it was discovered that the area was deserted, as residents had fled for fear of further attacks.

A community leader, who gave his name as Peter Emeka, said the attackers, who, he claimed, were youths of neighbouring Anaku Community, in the same council, arrived in motorcycles, and shot sporadically, aiming at people on sight.

Emeka further alleged that one Nnamdi Maneke, also known as Vulture, who is ‘a dreaded bandit’ from Anaku town, with his gang members, masterminded the attack.

He said: “Maneke is a notorious criminal in Anaku Community. He has been terrorising communities in Ayamelum, especially Omor.
“When he arrived on Monday with his gang members, many people in our community identified him, because he is notorious in unleashing mayhem on people, including setting people’s houses on fire whenever he is provoked. He brandishes AK47 at will; even before law enforcement agents.”

He gave names of victims of latest attack to include: Chibuko Anekwe, Johnson Chigbata, Esther Nwankwo, Iloabuchi Okonkwo, Chinedu Ogwuejiifor, Chibueze Okoye, among others. He added that their bodies were deposited in two separate mortuaries.

The Guardian gathered that five bodies were deposited in Nigro Mortuary, Omor, while three bodies were deposited at St. Mary’s Hospital mortuary, Ifite-Ogwari, also in Ayamelum Council.

When contacted, the traditional ruler of Omor, Igwe Oranu Chidume, said the attack came as a surprise to him, as he just had peace meeting with leaders of Anaku, the neighbouring town that has been having issues with his community for a long time.

He said: “I can recall that we have held a couple of peace meetings, and my people are keen in seeing peace reign between us and our neighbours. In the most recent meeting were the leader of Anaku Community, Anthony Ifeanya, who is the current Commissioner for Petroleum Resources in Anambra; Chief Livinus Onyenwe, who is the Transition Committee Chairman of Ayamelum, as well as Uche Okafor, who is the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, and member representing Ayamelum Constituency.”
When The Guardian contacted the leader of Anaku community, Tony Ifeanya, he also confirmed the development, but said that Anaku people did not send perpetrators.

Ifeanya, who acknowledged that a young man from the community, by the nickname ‘Vulture,’ has been terrorising the area, unleashing mayhem on people together with his gang members, said he was acting on whatever reason known to him, but not on the instance of Anaku town.

He said: “Our community is also looking for him everywhere to arrest him. Whenever we get hold of him, we’ll hand him over to government for necessary action. Our community, and Ayamelum people are already tired of him.”