Palpable tension has now enveloped the community of Ejemekuru in the Oguta council area of the area as soldiers attached to the 34 Artilery Brigade Obinze, Owerri has allegedly shot dead two members of the community’s vigilante.
The vigilante members were said to have been shot dead early hours of Thursday while on watch duty in community by the newly deployed soldiers to the state.
President General of Ejemekwuru Autonomous Community, Sir, Kyrian Igwubuike, who confirmed the incident disclosed that the vigilante members were shot while on community watch.
Igwebuike lamented the soldiers had killed the victims while on community watch alongside members of the ( Community Police).
He further disclosed that the newly deployed soldiers had shot dead the vigilante members without any provocation.
” We are surprised why soldiers would shoot two of our community vigilante who was on a community watch alongside members of the community policing at their camp. They were shot without any provocation even when the dead vigilantes were said to have identified themselves. The action of the soldiers has caused tension in the community who should be working with them to secure the area. The former soldiers who had operated in the area are familiar with the vigilantes.
According to him the Soldiers had stormed the camp of the vigilante and opened fire on them killing two while the rest scampered for safety.
When the contacted the Army Public Relations Officer of 34 Artilery Brigade, Obinze, Lt. Babatunde Subairo, denied knowledge of the incident.
But, Igwebuike said that he has officially reported the incident to the Artilery Brigade, DSS, the office of DPO of Oguta Division on who directed that the corpses should be deposited at the morgue.
