A relative of a victim of violence in Imo State revealed that the so-called “unknown gunmen” terrorising Southeast Nigeria are actually known locals
A man whose brother was killed in Imo State has claimed that the perpetrators widely described as “unknown gunmen” are, in fact, well-known locals within the community, according to PUNCH reporting.
The man, identified as Nduka Ozor, shared his experience during a forum organised by Amnesty International in Enugu, revealing that fear has prevented residents from exposing the culprits. “The people referred to as ‘unknown gunmen’ were very well known in the community, but no one dared to speak,” Ozor said.
He recounted that his brother was abducted and killed in 2022, and that the attackers routinely destroy property, decapitate victims, and display severed heads publicly. “When they kill, they cut off the heads and display them in the marketplace. If they entered your shop and took what they wanted, you never dared to ask for money,” he said.
Ozor also alleged that residents are forced to pay between ₦300,000 and ₦500,000 to the gunmen for permission to hold burials or weddings.
Amnesty International Nigeria recently reported that at least 1,844 people were killed in Southeast Nigeria between January 2021 and June 2023, describing the violence as part of “an endless cycle of bloodshed” following government crackdowns on pro-Biafra protests.