A member representing Ibi Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Zakari Sanusi, has said that suspected Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB terrorists have executed three people out of the 12 fishermen they abducted.
Mr Zakari, who disclosed this to DAILY NIGERIAN on Thursday, said the victims were abducted in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday.
He said the victims, who are his constituents, were on their way to Osamala village for their age-long fish farming business when they ran into the terrorists.
Revealing the identities of the victims, Mr Sanusi said they included 12 males and five females, including two children.
Mr Zakari disclosed that the terrorists have contacted the relatives of the victims to demand N20 million ransom.
“The incident happened on Monday. The farmers were attacked in a Ugwaru, under Onitsha, they were attacked while traveling in an 18-seater bus.
“The terrorists gruesomely slaughtered 3 people on the spot. They released the females and children and took the remaining nine males into the forest.
“Their whereabouts are unknown. But the gunmen have reached out, demanding a ransom of N20 million.
“We are therefore appealing to the federal government to intervene and secure the release of the captives and ensure those killed unjustifiably get justice,” Mr Zakari pleaded.
While sympathising with the families of the victims, Mr Zakari assured that the state government would do everything within its power to secure the release of those still in captivity.
One of the fishermen who pleaded anonymity told DAILY NIGERIAN they got the information about the attack from one of the victims who escaped from the terrorist den.
“He told us that three people were slaughtered by the terrorists in his presence. He said they would randomly point to anyone and ask him to come forward to be slaughtered.
“But to avoid dying in such a miserable manner, he found his way to escape from the terrorist den,” he said.
“We don’t even know who to call for help. One of the people we reached out to requested N2 million before he could help us even facilitate discussions with the terrorists.
“Our people have been coming to Osamala to catch fish for very long time. We inherited it from our grandfathers”, the source who pleaded for anonymity said.
He also appealed to the authorities to hasten the release of the remaining captives.
Attempts to get the reaction of the spokesman for the Anambra Police Command, Ikenganyia Anthony, were unsuccessful, as he neither responded to a call nor an SMS sent to his phone number.
