NSUKKA: A thirty-eight-year-old man, Sunday Ugwuoke, has lost all his property and his house almost burnt when his neighbours attacked him for killing their dog.

Ugwuoke, who spoke to Vanguard yesterday at his country home at Ama Ogwuo Edem, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, explained that he came out to ease himself at about 10:30 pm on Saturday night when he noticed the movement of an animal around his entrance door.

He said that he was shocked to notice the strange animal lurking around his door and attempting to attack him which made him to hit it with a rod, adding that it cried out and attracted the attention of the owners who live in his neighbourhood.

Ugwuoke, who trades on automobile parts at the Mechanic Village, in Nsukka, told Vanguard that he was surprised when one his neighbours, Chizoba Ajibo, 19, emerged from the backyard and threatened him for hitting the animal. He added that the threat provoked him further and he went inside, got his cutlass and severed the animal into two.

At that point, Ugwuoke, said Chizoba ran home and mobilised his two other brothers who he gave their names as Chijioffor Ajibo also known as Ngwuro, 39, and Emeka Ajibo, 21, adding that when he saw them running towards his house with malice, and knowing that he could not challenge them, he withdrew to the backyard from where he watched helplessly as they destroyed his property. He said they started destroying things when they searched for him thoroughly without success.

He also said that when they have damaged all the property in his room, they brought out his mattress, positioned it to the roof of the house before setting it ablaze, adding that the flame woke the neighbourhood from their sleep as they rushed to the scene to save the building from getting totally burnt.

Ugwuoke, who alleged that he believes Chika Ugwuja, Gabriel Ugwuoke, and Christopher Ugwuoke, who he has been having problems with in the community, wrote the scripts which the young men acted, saying Ugwuja, has threatened to banish him from the community if he was not careful and had written to the Area Command of Nsukka Police Division of the Nigeria Police, where he alleged that he was a terrorist.

He said he has reported this arson to the Nsukka Police Division, and the officers had taken stock of the damages.


When Vanguard visited the residence of the Ajibos, their house was under lock and key as residents confirmed that they fled the community in the night after the attack.

However, a close-door neighbour said she was alarmed by the sound of shattering glasses at an ungodly hour of the night, adding that she was afraid and could not step out for the fear of being attacked. She said she heard the voice of the mother of the attackers calling on the neighbourhood to intervene and stop her randy sons from unleashing mayhem on Ugwuoke, but the people were afraid to come out because it happened late at night.

She said that the flame and distress call placed to the members of the vigilante group saved the house of the victim from being totally burnt, although, she confirmed that before help could come, the Ajibos have wreaked havoc on his property.