Amby Uneze in Owerri
The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the apex socio-cultural organization of Igbo youths world wide has expressed dismay over the continuous killings and burning of houses in some villages in Oguta local government of Imo State
The group said no fewer than 50 persons have been massacred while over 170 houses burnt within the last two weeks by unnamed security operatives in Izombe villages in the Oguta local government.
In a press statement signed by Igboayaka O. Igboayaka and Ifeanyi Nweke, National President and Secretary General respectively frowned that Izombe and other neighbouring communities such as Agwa, Ejemkwuru, Awa, Akabuo, Mgbele and Ogbaku have recorded incessant security challenges due to the nefarious activities of criminal elements with a code name "UMUOMA".
According to the group, Ohanaeze Youth Council noticed, with utmost dismay, the debilitating inability of Governor Hope Uzodinma's administration to checkmate the activities of the bandits coupled with military personnel, police and Imo State owned untrained security network called “Ebube-Agu” which has resulted to more casualties and deaths.
"But rather than help to maintain peace and tranquility, the security operatives and Ebube-Agu had turned hostile to the residents of the areas particularly, Izombe.
"Unfortunately, the situation has affected socio-economic and other activities as markets, schools and churches have been closed down in Izombe for several months now.
"Investigation shows that an indigene of Amakpurudere Izombe village on Monday June 19, said that over 50 natives of his village have been killed by these security operatives between June 7 and Monday June 19, 2023..
"Some of the identified people killed at Amakpurudere Village alone included Benjamin Nwadirigbo, Nwabu Onuigbo (aka Danvata), Obieze Ajaere, Izuka Izuaghanwa and Chike Izuaghanwa"
"Witnesses in the community narrated that others were equally killed in other villages of Izombe like Ndiawa, Ndioko, Orsu and Ugbele and Agwa, a neighbouring Community to Izombe.
“The combined team of police, untrained and illegal Ebube-Agu and the military had equally destroyed more than 170 buildings in various villages including over 45 houses in Amakpurudere Village alone.
"To add more Injuries into the agony of Izombe people, a community source reported that security forces like Ebube-Agu looted people’s property. Lo and behold more than 90 percent of the residents had fled to safety from their communities.
"Since Wednesday June 7, and Monday June 12, 2023 thousands of people flew from Izombe that the careless security operatives killed Benjamin and four others.
"According to community report to Ohanaeze Youth Council, the houses burnt down in Amakpurudere Village alone belong to the following: Emmanuel Chukwudoruo, Romanus Obiagwu, Philip Okoronkwo, Ifeanyi Umezuruike, Canice Ogbonna, Herbert Nwoke, late Lucky Nwoke, Lambart Ekejiuba, Simeon Ekejiuba, Sabastine Okereke, Emeka Awaeze and Dominic Iwuanyanwu.
"Others whose houses were affected are: Benjamin Ohanyirim, Jerome Ohanyirim, Late Marcelinus Ogbonna, Lawrence Ogbonna, Calistus Ononiwu, Chief Alex Madubuko, Chief Oliver Ihejirika, Anthony Ihejirika, Alphonsius Ogbonna among others.
“The figure does not include over 150 buildings the military burnt in Umuokwu, Ndioko and Umuorji in October, 2021 when there was clash with the youths as a result of toll collected from crude oil bunkers.
"Our visit to Izumbe shows that Imo State government, led by Hope Uzodinma, really do not think good for Ndi-Imo and Izombe in particular in spite of the viable economic status of the community to Imo State Government”
“Oguta people are suffering and dying. The people are going through excruciating humanitarian crisis and this is very unimaginable to a careless brutal government as led by Hope Uzodinma.
“Many people can no longer feed, many no longer have their houses while hundreds had gone on exile looking for shelters and foods in other communities,” they maintained.
The group added that "Imo is truly bleeding to death with the violent and crisis. Data collected by Intersociety group recorded that, in the despotic, tyrannical government of Hope UZODINMA, "No fewer than 1,600 unarmed citizens of Imo State have been killed while 300 others have disappeared without trace between January, 2021and May, 2023 (29 months).
"Moreso, relatedly, about 700 persons sustained huge decrees of life-threatening injuries with over 900 others abducted within the same period under review.
"The above ugly situations were contained in a 33-paged special research and investigative report presented to the newsmen by a civil rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety)
"The Board chairman of the group, Emeka Umeagbalasi, who presented the report, disclosed that the "State and non-State actors were responsible for the said killings," it was stated.
Based on the their findings therefore, the youth group urged Uzodinma to quit from his political desperation and have a rethink and suspend his re-election bid, noting "because his hand and administration are full of blood."
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