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The Akpawfu community in Nkanu East local council of Enugu State has reportedly come under heavy bombardment as land and air troops stormed the community, raiding some secret camps of suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and armed bandits in the area.
The raids, which sources said, commenced Thursday came to a head Saturday morning with military helicopters dropping explosives in forests within Ajeme Akpawfu village where the hoodlums terrorising parts of Nkanu land and Enugu city are believed to be hiding.
It was learnt that the hoodlums also engaged the troops in a shot-out within the forests but details of the raid could not be ascertained by press time.
The area had been raided sometime ago by a combined team of security operatives where many of the hoodlums were reportedly neutralised and their camps destroyed, but the area has remained a major source of security threat in the state.
A resident who claimed to have fled the community Saturday evening with members of his family said that he had to relocate temporarily to Enugu for safety following heavy shootings.
“As I am speaking with you, people of neighbouring communities of Oruku and Akpugo said they are hearing deafening sounds of explosives and sporadic gunshots and so many people have relocated to these communities for fear of being cut down in the operation. In fact, Akpawfu is not safe right now.
“The entire Ajeme Akawfu community has been under fire since Thursday and everybody has been running helter-skelter for safety. Truly speaking, there are many hoodlums claiming to be IPOB members and we have been living in fear.
They kidnap, rape and hold people, hostage, for ransom in the thick forests and they are also responsible for some of the armed attacks on innocent people around Nkanu land,” said the fleeing resident who pleaded anonymity.
The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Nnamani, confirmed the military operation in the area, saying though he was out of the community at present, several persons had called to inform him of the development.
He said that members of his family, including his wife and children, left the community yesterday to a safe place, adding that many other residents must have also fled their homes.
The royal father who spoke on phone expressed the hope that peace would be restored to the community after the ongoing security operation.
The spokesperson of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army could not be reached for comments.
Meanwhile, the IPOB denied responsibility for the murder of four soldiers in Enugu State and Anambra State last Monday.
A statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful said the viral video in which the Nigerian Army was openly “mentioning IPOB” as responsible was unfortunate.
He said: “It is a common phenomenon that Nigeria government and their security agencies are quick to point accusing fingers at IPOB within minutes of any attack in the East without investigation. It is surprising that they haven’t linked IPOB to the insecurity ravaging Northern Nigeria. We understand that these are part of their cheap blackmail against the movement even when the State mastermind most of these attacks. If the government is not behind the attacks, how come they know the attackers within minutes without investigation?”
