The victims our correspondent gathered, include Mr Hillary Uche, a popular dealer on block and cement at Orie Agu, Emulemoke Agbada Road; one Kingsley, a machine parts dealer at signboard area of the village and another young man popularly known FM.

The incident, which happened Saturday morning, it was learned, saw the gunmen locating the deceased in their houses and shops and killing them instantly.

While Kingsley and FM were said to have been dragged out from their homes in Amagu Agbada Nenwe to the village square, where they were killed, Hilary was said to have been killed inside his own shop at Orie Agu.

It was further gathered that the hoodlums set a house ablaze after searching the house without seeing their target.

The killings have since thrown the community into panic and mourning, as young men doing businesses in the village have started fleeing the place.

One of the village sources: “My brother, some unknown gunmen entered my village and brought out Kingsley and FM and dragged them to the village square where they killed them.

“Nobody knows who the people are. Some came in motorcycles while some of our people said some of them came in a vehicle.

“Everyone is afraid of even going out. There is panic everywhere. This kind of thing has never happen before here.

“One of the persons they killed, Mr Hillary, was shot three times in his shop at Orie Agu Nenwe. All of those unknown gunmen wore masks, suggesting that they may have come from around us here”, the source said.

When contacted the Enugu Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Daniel Ndukwe (DSP) said discreet investigation and manhunt operation are underway to fish out the yet-to-be identified armed hoodlums.

He confirmed the shooting and killing of three male victims, in the wee hours of 09/09/2023, at Agbada Village square, in Nenwe community of Aninri Local Government Area.

The police statement made available to newsmen in Enugu Sunday said further development shall be communicated.