Man set ablaze as gunmen attack security facility in South-east

A yet-to-be-identified man has been set ablaze by gunmen who attacked the office of Anambra State Vigilante Group in Amichi, a community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria’s south-east.

The incident happened at about 7 a.m. on Thursday, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

Residents told this newspaper that the attackers, in their numbers, entered the community headed to the security office and engaged vigilante operatives in a shootout.

The hoodlums operated in two vehicles — white Sienna and one SUV — according to residents.

One of the residents who identified himself simply as Uche Okoye said the vigilante operatives abandoned their Sienna vehicle and fled the scene, prompting the gunmen to set the vehicle ablaze during the attack

Mr Okoye said he and several other residents discovered that a man at the back of the vehicle was burnt beyond recognition during the attack which lasted for about an hour.

He said the victim, suspected to be a vigilante operative, was shot while he was hiding from flying bullets.

“From the look of things, we believe that he was hiding from gunshots. But unfortunately he was shot and the gunmen set him ablaze alongside the vehicle.

“They (the gunmen) stayed for some minutes to ensure that the fire had burnt well, before they zoomed off,” he said.

A video clip apparently shot shortly after the attack has been circulating on Facebook.

In the 19-minute clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the security vehicle was in flames while several residents were heard lamenting the attack.

Some residents were seen attempting to put off the fire to identify the man who was set ablaze. Others called for the assistance of fire fighters.

Apart from the vehicle, the clip showed that a section of the security office was also razed by the hoodlums.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that some security operatives, mainly the Nigerian soldiers, later arrived at the scene of the attack.

When contacted, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack.

Increased attacks

Like other states in Nigeria’s south-east, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

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The Nigerian government has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

IPOB is leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of the south-south Nigeria.