Ipob operatives enforcing Simon Ekpa's sit-at-home kill five men in Anambra State today

ABOUT five men were shot dead in Anambra Central Senatorial Zone this morning by gunmen believed to be enforcing the Indigenous People of Biafra's (Ipob) sit-at-home order sparking a massive manhunt for the perpetuators.

Last year, Ipob leader Nnamdi Kanu instructed his self-styled successor Simon Ekpa who operates out of Finland to  end the ongoing sit-at-home protests currently taking place across the southeast geo-political zone. However, Mr Ekpa has been at loggerheads with numerous Igbo organisations back in Nigeria, as he has ruthlessly enforced the sit-at-home order every Monday across the southeast geo-political zone.

This morning, Ipob operatives enforcing Mr Ekpa's orders, carried out their attacks between 8am and 10am in Abatete, Abagana and Ukpo towns. Apparently, the casualties were men of the Anambra Vigilante services, who were trying to keep business going as normal in line with government directives.

Apparently, the first attack was said to have happened in Abatete town, targeting vigilant personnel attached to the town’s president-general. Three security men were shot and killed in the hail of bullets, while the president-general was also said to have been critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.

In separate incidents, the gunmen attacked Abagana and Ukpo communities. At the Ukpo roundabout, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, one Anambra Vigilante Group member and a motorcycle rider were said to have been killed, sending terrified local people into a panic.

One member of the Abatete community said: “We are praying for the recovery of our president-general. This senseless violence has left our community shaken.”

A member of the Ukpo community added: “It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere, shooting indiscriminately. Shouting no Biafra, no freedom. We are still trying to process what happened.”

A spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, said: “The details are still sketchy but our operatives are currently at the scene. I will get back to you with facts as soon as I can.”