JUST IN: Gunmen Suspected to Be Herdsmen Attack Residence of DIG Frank Mbah in Enugu, Kill Policeman Guarding the House Amid Rising Security Tensions in Udenu and Nsukka Axis

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have launched a deadly attack on the residence of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Frank Mbah, in Ezimo Community, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, sparking renewed fears over worsening insecurity in the region.

The attack, which occurred on Thursday evening around 7 p.m., claimed the life of a police officer who was on guard duty at the DIG’s residence, SaharaReporters gathered.

According to accounts from community sources, the heavily armed assailants stormed the residence in an attempt to gain access but were met with resistance from the security guard. Tragically, the confrontation ended in the officer’s death.

A community member narrated, “When the security guard raised an alarm, the assailants killed him, collected his rifle, and disappeared into the bush. 

“We suspect that it was the same assailants who killed a Catholic priest, Rev Fr Mathew Eya, on Friday evening in Eha-Ndiagu, a neighbouring community in Nsukka Local Government Area.”

Another source disclosed that the attackers may have targeted DIG Mbah’s family, noting the rising frequency of kidnappings in the area. 

“It is not clear whether the gunmen wanted to abduct the mother of the DIG Mbah, but what I can tell you is that these kidnappers have been operating close to Mbah’s house. They have successfully kidnapped people on two occasions, very close to the house, less than 500 metres from it. There have been constant kidnapping activities around that area, and the perpetrators are believed to be Fulani. But they had not killed anyone until this recent incident; maybe it is because they were challenged.”

Community members also raised concerns about the repeated presence of suspected criminal gangs operating openly around Ezimo and its neighbouring villages. 

“Our people see those guys regularly; the people mining sand and gravel see them regularly, but you know we have a weak security system. They just came and when the security guard, a policeman, who was killed, opened the gate, they shot him, and before the people around could raise an alarm, they had disappeared,” another source said.

He continued, “They just killed the security guard and collected his rifle. Actually, it is not only one security guard who secures his house; I believe the other officers were absent during the attack. The security operatives in the house did not anticipate anything. They collected the gun, and a Reverend Father was killed the next day along Eha-Ndiagu Road in the neighbouring community. 

“We believe that it is the same network of kidnappers that was operating within that axis. So, there are very serious security threats around those areas. There are marauders around those areas.”

In a twist that sparked discontent in the community, some locals claimed the police hastily arrested an innocent man following the attack. 

“You know, the police, in their way, after the attack, they saw someone who had gotten himself drunk passing, and they arrested him, saying that he might be among the assailants. But we know the man, he is not one of the attackers, but they (policemen) must show that they are working,” a source alleged.

Despite the tension, the community expressed solidarity with DIG Mbah, describing him as a beacon of pride to Ezimo. 

“Nobody from Ezimo community will nurse evil against Frank Mbah. He is our pride,” a source emphasized.

Meanwhile, fear and anxiety continue to grip residents of Ezimo and adjoining communities as the killings of the police officer and Rev. Fr. Eya reinforce concerns of escalating violence in Enugu North Senatorial Zone.

Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Enugu State Police Command proved unsuccessful, as its spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, neither took calls nor responded to text messages sent to him at the time of filing this report.