In a tragic incident in Nnewi, Anambra State, a vigilante commander, Eloka Mbajekwe, was killed and several others were injured by gunmen on Monday afternoon, June 17, 2024.
The attack occurred as the gunmen attempted to enforce a sit-at-home order. According to reports, the Nnewi vigilante group received intelligence that the assailants were planning to enter Nnewi via Nnobi in the Idemili South Local Government Area. In response, the vigilantes decided to confront the gunmen at the boundary between the two communities. During the ensuing shootout, Commander Mbajekwe was fatally wounded.
A separate confrontation also took place in Nnewichi, near St. Peter’s Church, where the sit-at-home enforcers engaged with the vigilante group. This clash resulted in multiple injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that numerous bystanders were struck by stray bullets, and some of the injured were transported to an undisclosed hospital using wheelbarrows.
Dr. Maduka Atuenyi, the Commander of the Anambra Vigilante Service for the Anambra South Senatorial zone and President General of Nzuko-Ora, confirmed the incident. The community mourns the loss of Commander Mbajekwe and hopes for the swift recovery of the injured.