Tension engulfed Ifite Ogwari in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State after a violent confrontation involving youths and operatives of the state security outfit, Agunechemba, reportedly left three persons dead.
The crisis, which erupted on Thursday night, was allegedly triggered by the death of a young man accused of theft and reportedly beaten to death by members of the security outfit.
Angered by the incident, some youths in the community reportedly carried the corpse of the deceased in protest to the office of the security outfit, where houses were allegedly vandalized and an operational vehicle set ablaze.
The situation later degenerated into a clash between the protesting youths and security operatives, resulting in the alleged death of two additional persons.
A member of the Traditional Ruling Council of Ifite Ogwari, who spoke anonymously, expressed regret over the incident but noted that community stakeholders and the Town Union leadership had intervened to restore calm.
Abuse of power
Reacting to the development, the member representing Ayamelum Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Bernard Udemezue, described the incident as unfortunate, blaming it on alleged abuse of power by the local security outfit and the overreaction of some youths.
“The incident is an unfortunate one that we never wished for. We are calling for calm so that the appropriate authorities can come in and handle the situation and ensure justice for all concerned,” he said.
Mr. Udemezue also sympathized with the bereaved families, noting that about three persons were reportedly killed in the violence.
“We condole with the families of those who lost their loved ones and pray that God grants them the strength to bear the loss,” he added.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had not yet been officially briefed on the incident.
