Early on Tuesday morning, unknown gunmen raided the home of a community leader in Eziowelle, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, and

kidnapped Anthony Ojemba Chigbo, the 67-year-old owner of the residence. During the two-hour long raid, his wife Francisca, 54, suffered cruel treatment, and their son Ifedinachi, 27, was wounded in the leg.

The victim’s wife revealed that the attackers, who were equipped with AK 47 rifles and numbered around twenty, forced their way into their complex by scaling their fence and smashing doors and windows in their home. The victim suffered major injuries to his face and hands as a result of the attack. She claimed that the armed men forced their way inside through the garage after shattering all the windows in their building and demanding her husband.

She described the suffering of her family and claimed that when her son, Ifedinachi, was unable to provide them with information about his father, they shot him in the leg. She claims that when they threatened to kill my son, I had to jump on top of him to shield him. They sprang on me at this point and started hitting me with sticks and firearms as I begged them not to kill my son.

Since then, we have reported his disappearance and looked for him in vain at every police station. The traditional chiefs in our community, Oddida Umuoniya village, Eziowelle, Idemili North LGA in Anambra, who have been fighting my husband over our land, may have hired the armed men, according to our suspicions. A few weeks ago, they barged into our home with armed police officers from Zone 13, Ukpor, harassed and arrested him before eventually releasing him.

The same night they attacked us, the same gang broke into the home of our young leader, who narrowly escaped death. I am pleading with the governor of Anambra State, the inspector general of police, and all other security organisations to step in right away and assist in finding my husband, whether he is alive or dead. He hasn’t broken any laws, and his kidnappers severely assaulted and tortured us all before taking off with him. As of right moment, we don’t know his condition or where they have taken him, she lamented.