Suspected hoodlums have burnt down the house of a 60-year-old widow, Mrs Monica Nweke, in the Ogboji community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.
The widow was said to be sleeping alongside her two daughters and two grandchildren when the hoodlums set her building ablaze at about 1.30 am, on Tuesday.
According to PUNCH, a community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the assailants set the building on fire and waited till the inferno gutted all the valuables in the home, before leaving the scene.
It was gathered that the widow, her two daughters, and grandchildren escaped death through the back door, as the inferno raged.
In a statement, the publicity secretary of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders, Chinasa Okereke said on Friday that the group had intelligence that no fewer than four suspects have been arrested in connection to the dastardly act.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders (HURIDE), has been drawn to the inhuman act perpetrated by hired hoodlums against an innocent widow in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.
“This house (Photos attached) belongs to a 60-year-old widow from the Ogboji community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State. Hoodlums attacked the house, looted virtually everything and immediately set the building on fire and waited until it was completely burnt down before they left. The attackers are suspected to have been sponsored by some big politicians in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State, who have been having issues with Activist Sampson Oko Nweke, the state chairman of the Human Rights, Access and Defenders whose mother’s house is so burnt.
“Information got to HURIDE that the ugly incident happened in the early hours of 30th April 2023 around 1 am. It was reported that our chairman’s mother, her two daughters and two grandchildren were all sleeping inside the house when the hoodlums attacked and were shooting directly into the house. But God saved them from being burnt alive as they managed to escape through the backdoor.
“However, a confirmed report says that police have swung into action following a petition signed by the victim and fortunately, some of the perpetrators have been arrested while others at large are still being searched for. Those arrested so far are Monday Nweke Ote, Samuel Itumo Egbara and Adindu Nwigwe Oke and one other.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Onome, could not be reached to comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
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