The Isseke community in Ihiala Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State was on Thursday thrown into mourning as some unknown gunmen wiped out the family of a community leader, Ichie Kennedy Igboanugo from Ekwuru Isseke (Ichie Akuruo- Ulo 1 of Isseke) along with his wife and two children.
Isseke is touted as one of the most terrible and violent areas in the South East and “the headquarters of the unknown gunmen.” It is located on the boundary between Anambra and Awo Idemmlili in Imo State.
A Facebook post by Uche Aguoru said that a member of the community who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the gunmen came into late Ichie Igboanugo’s compound and accused him of giving out information to the military about the activities of the hoodlums who have been terrorising the community. They then shot him at point blank, instantly killing him along with his wife and two children.
The source noted that “the Isseke community have been living in fear, calling on the State and Federal governments to come to their rescue as they don’t know who will be the next victim.”
On Wednesday October 9, 2024, a set of gunmen kidnapped a group of sports journalists in the Isseke community while they travelling to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to cover the Nigeria vs Libya African Cup of Nations qualifying match, which is scheduled to take place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday October 11, 2024.
The journalists, numbering about 11, were travelling in a bus through Isseke around the Ihiala area when they were kidnapped. According to reports, nine of the journalists were initially rescued while one identified as Kola was identified as dead. The four other were later rescued from captivity.