Tobias Sylvester
Five people were killed on Friday when gunmen attacked a popular beer parlour in Obiofia Village, Osumenyi, in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Gunmen Attack Anambra Beer Parlour
According to Vanguard, no fewer than ten people also sustained various degrees of injuries while running for their lives during the attack at about 7. 30 pm on Friday evening.
It was gathered that the gunmen numbering about eight invaded the restaurant and immediately opened fire on customers who were drinking and having fun, killing four men mainly youths, and a lady said to be the owner of the drinking joint.
An indigene of Osumenyi, who pleaded anonymity said told Vanguard that the number of the victims, including the dead and the injured, could not be ascertained until Saturday morning because of the time of the incident.
The source said that people were afraid to come out following the sporadic and persistent gunshot, adding that some of the dead victims may have died due to no assistance offered them to hospital.
He said, “I have spoken with about four victims who are close to me, and they told me that they sustained serious injuries from the invading gunmen, just like others numbering over eight.
“We are in fear here because we do not know the grouse of the invading gunmen, in fact, we are confused, as we do not know the reason this could happen in our town, we do have cult members here. Our youths are don’t involve in cult activities. It was a pure unknown gunmen activity but we do not know where they are coming from.
“While I cannot speak for anybody, o doubt if an Igbo man will just go yo a drinking place where people are relaxing and enjoying themselves and open fire on them without exchanging words with them. What I know some hoodlums do is surrender them and collect their money and phones. But the gunmen came in their cars, stopped, alighted and opened fire on people without taking anything away from them.
“We are so afraid here and we are in deep mourning because they are vibrant and responsible youths of Osumenyi, who were cooling off after the days of toiling. Is really painful my brother. We are in deep mourning and fears.”
A trending video on social media from the scene of the incident, shows the lifeless body of four of the male victims, with that of the female, said to be the owner of the drinking spot lying lifeless in their blood.
Sympathizers, friends, and relatives of the victims were also seen mourning and lamenting as the corpses were being loaded in the Sienna bus suspected to be an ambulance, for evacuation to the mortuary.
“A weeping feminine voice was also heard in the background lamenting in Igbo language, “What have we done oooo? Who have we offended? What did we do to deserve all this kind of attack and killing?”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said “enquires are still ongoing and I will revert back to you when I get clear information on the incident.”
This comes a few weeks after gunmen razed the home of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, at Awo-Omanma in Imo State.
