Gunmen have reportedly killed the President-General of Oruku Commuity in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The victim, Linus Nwatu, a retired police officer, was killed when the gunmen invaded his residence on Saturday morning.
He was the eighth prominent resident of the community to be killed by gunmen, said to be cultists used during a communal war with Umuode, a neighbouring community, according to a report by Punch newspaper.
The killing happened on a day set aside for the burial of a member of the community’s neighbourhood watch, Dennis Ike, who was killed by gunmen in the community on 6 June.
Punch quoted a source in the community who said that the gunmen might have carried out the attack to forestall the burial of the slain Mr Ike which was billed to hold on Saturday (today).
There are speculations that the attack could be connected to alleged involvement of the community leader in a lingering crisis in the community, which has defied peace efforts of the Enugu State Government for years.
Aside from the seven others, the traditional ruler of the community, Emmanuel Mbah had been killed by hoodlums believed to be loyal to a factional group in the communal crisis which began in December 2020, the paper reported.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State instituted a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the killing of the traditional ruler, following unrest that resulted in the destruction of lives and property in the community.
The slain president-general had reportedly said while testifying before the commission that “23 collaborators and sponsors were fueling cultist activities in Oruku” to destroy lives and property.
The commission, headed by Justice Harold Eya, was said to have submitted its findings to the governor, but no action has been taken since the submission.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, did not immediately respond to calls and a text message seeking comments from him on the killing of the community leader.
