An unidentified woman has been killed at Amaeze village, Mgbakwu, in Awka North Council Area of Anambra State, following a suspected security operation in the area by the Operation Udo Ga Achi team.
The security team, which was comprised of vigilante and police operatives, was said to have entered the community early on Monday.
Our correspondent, who was in the area at the time, reports that several gunshots were heard, which lasted for a long time before the security team was said to have driven off, shooting sporadically as they went.
Angry youths were later seen carrying the corpse of the deceased to the Mgbakwu Police Station, after which they tried to move to the State Government House in Awka.
However, the intervention of the Community’s president-general stopped the angry youths’ movement.
According to an eye witness, Ugwu Emmanuel, the woman was hit on the neck by bullets from gunshots fired by the security operatives while she was at a nearby shop.
“The woman is a seamstress and has absolutely nothing to do with whatever security situation in the area,” he said.
Ugwu expressed worry over the practice of shooting indiscriminately during operations by the members of the security operation.
He worried that such disposition could lead to more deaths if not checked, as most of the operatives are not well trained in the act of handling guns.
Another resident, Ifeanyi Obika, expressed worry that security operatives who ought to be protecting innocent citizens are the ones killing them, calling for justice for the deceased.
He called on the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to investigate the matter and ensure that those responsible are found and punished accordingly.
However, an indigene who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity revealed that the security operatives were about to leave after their operation when some youths blocked the roads leading to the shooting.
“We gathered that the security operatives have been arresting some youths in the area since over the weekend. So, when they came this morning, some natives blocked the road.
“When the security operatives saw the roadblocks, they started shooting sporadically and that was when the bullet hit the woman,” the source said.
Meanwhile, when our correspondent contacted the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, he expressed gratitude for the information but could not explain what had happened.
