There was pandemonium at Oruku community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State on Wednesday as a group of militants reportedly burnt 10 houses belonging to another group in the community.

A source who claimed anonimous told Vanguard that among the houses burnt was that of the murdered traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Mba; former local government chairman, Hon. Ejike Ani and his younger brother, Agozie Ani

It was also learnt that the hoodlums armed with AK-47 rifles on Christmas day shot a native of the community identified as Mr. Sunday Orji, inflicting severe injury on his right arm.

Recall that there have been crisis between Uruku and Umude community which the state government had set up panel of inquiry and a resolution was made.

Unfortunately to the community, after the Christmas day incident, the hoodlums returned to Oruku on Tuesday and set ablaze 10 buildings belonging to the natives after sporadic shootings, destroying property worth millions of naira.

However, no life was lost in the latest attacks as the few residents left in the community fled their homes on hearing the sound of gunshots.

Oruku has become a ghost town as the residents, including women and children, have deserted their homes to seek refuge in neighbouring communities for fear of being killed.

“Many residents whose houses had been burnt by the armed hoodlums had since fled the town while some prominent indigenes residing within and outside the Enugu state with their family members, have avoided going to their town for some years now due to the lingering communal conflict.

“The hoodlums, who have been operating unchallenged in the community since the state government’s intervention that suspended the Oruku – Umuode communal war, are under the sponsorship of a powerful figure from Oruku who were opposed to the terms of reconciliation,” Source said.

The judicial panel of enquiry set up by the state government into the boundary dispute between Oruku and Umuode had recommended demarcation of boundary for the two communities as against the insistence by a few power brokers from Oruku that Umuode people must be evicted from their land.

Some Oruku natives who played major roles to ensure peaceful resolution of the crisis, had been targeted for elimination and no fewer than 12 prominent indigenes including two traditional rulers of Oruku had been shot dead at different times by unknown assailants.

All effort to get the state police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe’s reaction proved abortive as he refused to take or reply message sent to him via WhatsApp and SMS. (Vanguard)

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