Tension rose in Enugu state as suspected gunmen, in the early hours of Thursday, killed the vice chairman of Oruku Caretaker Committee, Chief Samuel Ani, in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu state.
This comes barely two months after the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Emmanuel Mbah, was allegedly shot to death by some uniformed men while he was addressing members of his community during their annual meeting last December 26.
The latest sad incident has thrown the community into pandemonium, leading to the burning and destruction of houses and properties worth millions of naira.
The situation has prompted the Enugu state government to set up a panel to look into the matter. Though the police have been deployed to the crisis-ridden community, lasting peace has yet to return as there are still pockets of violence occasionally.
A member of the community, Mr Agozie Anih, was quoted to have confirmed the killing of Chief Ani on Wednesday morning. “There was a heavy shooting through the night. The men deployed by the police to maintain peace were nowhere to be found. This morning, Chief Samuel Ani of Oruku caretaker committee was shot and killed in his home,” Anih said.
Also, the chairman, Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area, Mr Emmanuel Ndubuisi Ani, confirmed the killing of Chief Ani, noting, “The same people who (allegedly) conspired with policemen from Abuja and killed our monarch, burnt our houses have also killed the vice-chairman, Oruku Caretaker Committee, set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“As I am speaking with you, we are taking his body to the mortuary in Enugu state capital.”
Enugu state commissioner of police, Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, also confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, saying it was not an attack as such. According to him, the late Anih was said to have resolved to sleep outside to enjoy some cool breeze when his assailants attacked and killed him while he was sleeping.