There was confusion, yesterday, in the Umunze community and environs in Orumba South Local Council of Anambra State as hoodlums killed two soldiers and one civilian.
   
The incident caused panic, as residents scampered to their safety for fears that soldiers would stage reprisal attacks in Umunze and neighbouring communities.
 
A source said the incident happened at about 1:30 p.m. near Zenith Bank in Umunze, when the gunmen attacked the soldiers’ vehicle.
   
But an eyewitness said the soldiers were on patrol in a Sienna vehicle along the road when the gunmen shot and killed two of them and another civilian.
   
The eyewitness said: “The soldiers were moving in a Sienna vehicle along the major road at Umunze when they were attacked by the gunmen.
 
“The gunmen suddenly opened fire on the Sienna van in which the soldiers were moving in. We gathered that two soldiers were killed. One other unidentified person also lost his life in the incident. The hoodlums were said to have escaped in a get-away vehicle.”
 
The spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, Ikenga Tochukwu,  confirmed the incident, but could not say the number of casualties.
 
Ikenga said: “There was shooting close to Zenith Bank in Umunze. The incident happened between 12 and 1.30 p.m. yesterday. The Command had deployed security operatives to secure the area, those responsible for the such act must regret it.”