A traditional title ceremony in Amakor village, Nanka Community of Orumba North local government area of Anambra State has turned to sorrow, as gunmen kidnap eight people and injured twelve others during the event.
An Ozo title holder, Emmanuel Ilo, who was present at the event, said his escape was by divine intervention.
According to him, the policemen guarding the venue attempted to resist the attackers but were overpowered.
He said: "While the event was reaching its climax, some armed men, some of whom covered their faces, stormed the venue. They were accompanied by some community members and immediately began the attack.
"Without any explanation or engagement with the organizers of the event, the men began to scatter things at the venue. They intimidated and brutalized many of the participants and organizers, kicking some of them in their manhood, while the armed men stood by, including some dressed in police uniforms.
"I managed to escape from the scene when the gunmen struck."
He said that after the assault, about eight people, including the Amakor village chairman, Barr. Obinna Ilo, Emerie Ilo, Sam Eminike, and Chief Asina Okafor, were forced into waiting Sienna vehicles and driven to an unknown location.
He added that some other participants, however, managed to escape and have been in hiding since then.
Ilo said that the whereabouts of the abducted individuals have remained unknown, as no official contact has been made with their families by the abductors, adding that the kidnapped individuals' phone numbers have been switched off since the incident.
He stated that the identities of the abductors and their motives have remained unclear, thereby creating uncertainty for the families and the entire community.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, said he was unaware of the incident and advised that people of the community should report to the nearest police station.
On the allegation that some of the abductors were in police uniforms, the PPRO said: "Police don't kidnap, and police don't abduct. If they were arrested, the police would have reached out to their families and allow them to make calls."
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