Arrested man handcuffed hands at the back.

The Police have engaged the services of Anambra State Vigilante (AVG) operatives to arrest some fleeing gunmen who escaped with gun injuries after an attack by security operatives at Okija, Ihiala Local Council of the state.

The Guardian gathered that some heavily armed gunmen on Monday ambushed operatives of the AVG in Okija, but were repelled. During the encounter, two gunmen were killed and two AK-47 rifles were recovered from them, while some gang members escaped with bullet injuries.

To track them, the State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident, said their men have inspected the scene of the event, and gone into partnership with the AVG to ensure that the fleeing suspects were all apprehended.

Ikenga said: “From what our men were able to find out, the fleeing suspects sustained bullet injuries, and we are working with AVG operatives to ensure we track them down.

“We are only calling on operators of private hospitals, and managers of public hospitals in the area to be on alert and report people with bullet injuries, when they come for treatment.”

It was gathered that the gunmen numbering about 15 stormed the camp of the vigilante members at 3:30a.m., thinking they were sleeping. An AVG member said: “The gunmen came with AK-47 rifles and different charms. When they came, they opened fire on us without knowing they stepped into the lion’s den. Let them continue coming. We are ready for them.”

Ikenga called on proprietors of private hospitals and managers of public health facilities to help them to arrest fleeing gunmen, who escaped with bullet injury after an encounter with security operatives.

Meanwhile, a leader of Yoruba Community in Awka, the State capital, Oladimeji Olahan, has said Yoruba people feel at home in the state and don’t feel threatened by their host communities across the state.

Olahan, who was crowned as the Kabiyesi of Awka, in November last year, pointed out that some Yoruba leaders and followers resident in the state have spent between 20 and 40 peaceful years in the state and could testify to the accommodating spirit of the Igbo.

He said leaders of Yoruba community in the state prioritise the issue of discipline and lay emphasis on the youth to be law abiding and live peacefully with their host communities, stressing that it has accounted for a clean bill of crimes associated with the Yoruba in the state.

Corroborating, President-General of Yoruba Community in Awka, and Chairman of Yoruba Community in Awka, Alhaji Ademola Okeleye, and the group’s chairman in Awka, Idris Agbaje, accused the political class of playing ethnic and religious politics aimed at creating division and deceiving the masses in a bid to perpetuate themselves in power.

They said the ugly picture of hostility being painted about Ndigbo and Yoruba Community in Lagos is non-existent in the state, accusing sycophants of exploiting it to create tension and enrich themselves.

Okeleye and Agbaje said there was need for Ndigbo and Yoruba to be enlightened on the necessity of unity and brotherhood between them to cement age-long understanding..

According to them, Ndigbo are widely travelled and ingenious, adding that Yoruba Community in the state capital emulates them in developing the community of their residence in particular and the nation in general.

They said there are about 500,000 Yoruba people residing in the state. They also extolled former Governor Willie Obiano’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Uzu Okagbue, for being the only politician who capitalised on their huge population to canvass for votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 Presidential Election. (The Guardian: Text, excluding headline)

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