Residents of Mgbuisi area of Ohaji, in Ohaji/Egbema LGA, comprising six communities have turned refugees in other neigbouring towns as rampaging gunmen have chase them away from their homes.
Indigenes of Mgbuisi clan, comprising Ilile and Umuoso Autonomous Communities, including neighbouring Umuonu and Oburugo towns in Ohaji area, of Ohaji/Egbema LGA of the state, can longer boast of having possessions of their residential houses and property at the moment, as hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers and kidnappers have overrun their communities.
Their fear is to avoid being attacked by the rampaging hoodlums who engage in sporadic raids on the communities
Crisis began when security operatives led by police stormed a notorious hideout of the criminals who ran a kidnappers den for victims abducted on the Owerri Porthacourt road at the notorious Nkarahia Junction.
About three persons were under captive at the kidnappers den before police operatives led by SARS team based on intelligence from the locals stormed the forest. A gun battle between the police and the kidnappers led to the killing of about three of the criminals while others fled. The police freed the victims unhurt.
Irked by the action of the local vigilante groups who assisted the police to burst their earlier heinous activities, the kidnappers regrouped with other criminal elements, numbering more than 30, and armed to the teeth, on August 22, 2019, stormed the Ilile and Oburugo communities in cult like manner killing not less than six persons including the town union president and vigilante chief.
Few days ago, a vigilante group of a nearby Umuonu community leaked information to the SARS about the operation of another gang of kidnappers. That information led to the escape of a captured victim.
In apparent bid to hit back at the locals who for the umpteenth time, informed the police of their activities, the criminals spread across the communities known as Mgbuisi clan in Ohaji, regrouped to attack their people in a fresh attack.
According to sources, the gunmen shot for hours forcing their kinsmen to flee. The rampaging hoodlums took over the houses of fleeing residents and carted away valuables including motorcycles left behind at Umuonu, Umuonu, Illile and Umuoso communities
The news of the invasion by the heartless gunmen reached other Mgbuisi communities who for fear of attack fled their homes to nearby Umuagwo where there is a Divisional Police Station.
Since the attack took place, members of the community have turned refugees as the state government and security agencies are yet to intervene on the matter.
Aged men, women and others who could not run away cannot sleep any longer with their two eyes closed because they are afraid of next attack from the notorious invaders.
It was learnt that in the first attack carried out by the gunmen, the immediate president General of the Community Mr. Napoleon Amadi, a vigilante member, Mr. Martins Eze and a Retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Mr. Sylvesta Ukpabi were among those killed.
