Daily Trust
The gunmen, who reportedly wore masks, razed a section of Ahịa Ofú market located along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.
The action of the group was said to be part of the enforcement of the five days sit-at home order declared in the region.
The sit-at-home began on Friday but Ebonyi residents defied it.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Chris Anyanwu, said there was cause for alarm.
Anyanwu who said no one was killed in the incident, promised to give details later.
“There is no cause for alarm, Ebonyi State is calm. However, if anything in the contrary is confirmed, I will come up with update/briefs, pls, “he said in a statement.
The development comes after the head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was burnt in Imo State.
At the weekend, no fewer than 10 people were reportedly killed in Anambra, Enugu and Imo states as hoodlums held the three states hostage for most hours of Friday and Saturday.
The details came in as police announced the mobilisation of its intelligence and operational assets to reign in the rampaging gunmen.
Reports from the area said the current spate of killings, escalated with the order for a 5-day stay-out-home issued by self-styled spokesman of the proscribed group, Simon Ekpa, starting from Thursday.
Finland-based Ekpa, who gained relevance in the activities of the outlawed group following the arrest and prosecution of IPOB’s leader Nnamdi Kanu by the federal government, on December 6 via his social media accounts announced a total lockdown of the South East from December 9 to 14.
He, however, said, there won’t be a lockdown on December 13.
Gunmen, who operated on Friday in Owerri – Okigwe Road in Imo State as well as Umunachi in the Isiala Mbano LGA of the state and Umunna in the Onuimo LGA killed at least 10 people, according to witnesses’ accounts.
