The victim, Ogochukwu Onuh, was shot dead after her husband, simply known as Akada, reportedly escaped from the gunmen.
Gunmen have killed the wife of a leader of a local vigilante operative in Umuopu, Enugu-Ezike, a community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria's South-east.
The incident happened on Friday night.
The victim, Ogochukwu Onuh, was shot dead after her husband, simply known as Akada, reportedly escaped from the gunmen.
Sources said the gunmen were infuriated that the vigilante leader, who was their target, escaped, prompting them to kill the wife.
The incident occurs barely three weeks after another leader of the community's vigilante group, identified as Levi was shot dead by gunmen.
It is not clear, for now, if they are the same gunmen responsible for both killings.
"They shot the woman and left almost immediately. So, people raised an alarm. We then rushed her to the hospital where she finally died," a source from the community told PREMIUM TIMES.
Her husband, the vigilante leader, was said to be leading an onslaught against gunmen terrorising the community.
It was learnt that the vigilante leader has been collaborating with security agencies in the community to fight the gunmen.
"The guy (Mr Akada) has been attacked many times by the gunmen. Even the late Levi. They have been attacking them (Akada and Levi) because they are the ones that help to stop the gunmen from terrorising us here," said Kasiemobi Ugwu, a resident of the community.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, but did not give details.
"Investigation and manhunt of the fleeing assailants have been launched," Mr Ndukwe said.
Increased attacks
Enugu, like other states in the South-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately.
The latest incident comes about two days after gunmen killed three police officers at New Haven, Enugu North Local Government Area of the state.
Last week, gunmen attacked members of the Labour Party (LP) who were holding a meeting in Awgu Community, Awgu Local Government Area of the state.
Earlier on 31 August, some other LP members were also attacked by gunmen in Nenwe, a community in the Aninri Local Government Area of the state.
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In late June, gunmen attacked a police checkpoint along Agbani Road in Enugu South Local Government Area of the state. Two officers were feared killed in that attack.
In Mid-June, a police officer was killed by gunmen who attacked a police checkpoint in Ibagwa-Ani, a community in the Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.
Earlier, on 2 June, two police officers were also killed when gunmen attacked Mkpamte Community in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state.
The Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, recently banned the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some local government areas to check the frequent attacks in the state.
The governor later lifted the ban, following public outcry, and assurances from leaders of the transport operators to assist the government in bringing an end to the attacks.
The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east.
The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for terrorism.
