In a distressing turn of events, hoodlums, suspected to be enforcing a sit-at-home directive, wreaked havoc in Ezzangbo community, the hometown of self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafran Government in exile, Simon Ekpa.
On Monday, they set ablaze three vehicles, five motorcycles, and various valuable belongings, leaving residents in a state of turmoil.
Reports indicate that the assailants, numbering around eight and operating from a Sienna vehicle, descended on the area, chanting slogans advocating for the cessation of market activities in Igbo land. They also forcibly dispersed petty traders and market women who had set up their stalls.
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A video circulating on social media captured the chaotic scene, with flames engulfing vehicles, motorcycles, stores, and other possessions, while residents scrambled to find safety.
This marks the third assault on the community by hoodlums this year, underscoring the need for heightened security measures in the area.
The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident, with the police spokesperson, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, reporting, “Today 02/10/2023, armed men, suspected to be IPOB/ESN members in a Sienna car attacked commuter buses, tricycles and motorcycles at Ezzangbo Junction.
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They burnt down three commuter buses, four motorcycles and one tricycle. No life was lost. Operatives of the Command have been dispatched to the scene and its environs to fish out the perpetrators. And we believe that before the end of the day, the perpetrators will be apprehended.”
In a related development, the Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi, commended Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, for effectively ending the unauthorized sit-at-home protests in his state.
During his inspection of the collapsed bridge at the Enugu end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Umahi praised the move as a significant stride forward for the Igbo community, emphasizing the positive impact it holds for the nation at large.
Governor Peter Mbah had earlier, in June, outlawed the sit-at-home directive in Enugu, citing its detrimental effects on the local economy.
Umahi’s words of commendation echo a collective sentiment of progress and a step towards normalcy in the region.
