By Ibe Pascal, Owerri
An Igbo youth leader, from Imo state, Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka, on Sunday alleged that one hundred and seventy buildings have been set ablaze and fifty persons killed in Imo state, for the past two weeks.
Igboayaka disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri, on the issue of insecurity in the state.
He said the figures were part of the investigation carried out on the insecurity in Oguta council area of the state and it environs.
However, he blamed the killings on a criminal element group named as “Umuoma” Imo state Ebubeagu security outfit and the soldiers.
On what happened he said: “No fewer than 50 persons have been killed and more than 170 buildings set ablaze by the security operatives in Izombe, Oguta, Imo State in the last two weeks.
“Izombe and other neighbouring communities such for example like Agwa, Ejemekwuru, Awa, Akabuo, Mgbele and Ogbaku have been recording incessant security challenges due to the nefarious activities of criminal elements with a code name “UMUOMA”.
“Imo State owned untrained security network called “Ebube-Agu” which has resulted to more casualties and deaths.
But rather than help to engender 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 almost 8 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.”
Igboayaka alleged that, “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,” he said.
“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% of the residents had fled to safety from their the community.
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,” Igboayaka said.