By Abụchi Okeke
Isuaniocha community in Awka North Local Government area of Anambra State was thrown into pandemonium on Saturday as some suspected hoodlums opened fire on Police operatives who were on a peace keeping mission in the area.
It would be recalled that the peace loving community recently mobilised one thousand persons including aged men and women, in a peaceful protest to the government house during which they called on governor Chukwuma Suludo to urgently intervene and restore complete peace in the community.
An eye witness narrated that the hoodlums came with three tinted Hilux vehicles, One Lexus 330, three shuttle buses and a Toyota Corolla car at about four o'clock in the evening .
The situation caused panic in the area as road users,motorists, shop owners and residents scampered for safety.
Speaking with journalists on telephone , the acting President General of Isuaniocha Community, Mr Friedrich Egwunwa described the incident as very unfortunate and an attempt by some criminal elements to wipe out the people of the town who had embraced peace.
According to him, faces identified during the incidents were misters Onyemazi, Sylvester, Charles, Nonso, Chukwuma and Okwudili, some of whom had been on the wanted list of the Nigerian police.
The Acting PG appealed to the Anambra State government and the Inspector General of Police to Wade into the crises rocking Isuaniocha in the interest of the people who are always at the receiving end whenever there is an attack by the hoodlums.
Mr Egwunwa narrated that during the exchange of gunfire ,the hoodlums all entered their vehicles to run but luck ran out on one of them who claimed he was security personnel when he was caught.
He told journalists that the suspect who claimed to be from Department of State Security, was later transfered to Zone 13 by Police operatives.
Also speaking, a community leader , Chief Tony Onyeagolu alleged that the hoodlums were mobilized by a serving Commissioner (name withheld) who he said was bent on ensuring that the community is never in peace for his personal gains.
The stakeholders wondered if the Nigeria Security Operatives are conniving with some persons that had already been declared wanted to come and be causing problem in Isuaniocha.
When Contacted in a telephone,the Police Public Relations Officer in the state , Mr Tochukwu Ikenga said security agents were already deployed to the community for safety of lives and property.
Mr Ikenga who said the situation was already under control, called on the people to cooperate with the Police operatives to fish out those who were involved in the act.
Our correspondent reports that while the hoodlums were driving out of the community, one of their Hilux vehicles fell into a ditch and caught fire around the Obibia bridge axis of thee ever busy road.