The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: orlu

  • I Sent Military to Prevent a Repeat of the End SARS Protest and not to Crush my People – Uzodimma

    Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma on Tuesday defended the airstrike in Orlu, saying it was not meant to “crush” his people but to prevent a repeat of last October’s #EndSARS protests in the state.

     

    Uzodimma explained that protests and the escalation of criminal activities that trailed the #EndSARS protests necessitated his invitation of the military.

     

    He particularly said the situation within Orlu axis had gone beyond what could be handled locally.

     

    The governor spoke with reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

     

    It was however unclear if the President summoned Uzodimma over his feud with the lawmaker representing Imo West Senatorial District, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as well as the military operation in Orlu or not.

     

    Read Also: Senator worried over hovering helicopters in Orlu

    Nigerian Air Force jets had last week raided parts of Orlu suspected to be hideouts of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the security arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

     

    Although IPOB denied the arrest of any of members in Orlu, The Nation gathered that nine ESN operatives were remanded last week at a correctional centre by Owerri Magistrate Court 16 for murder.

     

    Uzodimma, who fielded questions from the State House reporters said: “Well, the issue of bringing the military to Imo state is simple. You recall, during the #EndSARS protests that a lot of properties were damaged in Imo State; police stations were burnt down, soldiers were killed and their rifles removed from them.

     

    “And immediately after the #EndSARS, we thought it was over. Then, issues of kidnapping came. You know a Catholic bishop was kidnapped and killed. And these militants came out and began to shoot. We’ve lost lives, market women were killed, old women were raped in Orlu area and they visited this serious terror on the citizenry.

     

    “I came here (Presidential Villa), pleaded with Mr. President for his support and he sent additional police support. The military also came in.

     

    “It was on my invitation that the military came. And I did that because I know the situation was beyond the local arrangement. We needed help and it was given to us.

     

    “I speak to you, the situation has come down to normal. People are now going about their businesses. And those caught will soon be charged to court. And all those military riffles, AK 47 and so on were recovered by the people that came.

     

    “As a government, it is our responsibility to protect lives. We had security challenges and we invited the military.”

     

    The governor also rejected insinuations that he used the military to pound his people, unlike some of his colleagues negotiating with bandits to solve their security problem.

     

    According to him, he did not use the military to ‘crush’ people in Orlu, but to restore normalcy.

     

    He added: “It is not about crushing anybody and those that came didn’t do any crushing. Those that came through their intelligence identified where these people were and I can tell you, all the people arrested, all the rifles recovered are intact. The people are under interrogation, not even one, not even one soldier, or one of those militants died in the process.

     

    Let nobody politicise it. I have a responsibility to protect the lives of my people.”

     

    The governor said he informed “Mr. President that our government was already making progress.

     

    “Some people may be negotiating with Boko Haram but God knows if I have the opportunity to see any man who is taking lives, I will confront the person head-on. That is why we are government.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonline

  • Orlu residents deserts their communities due to military Operations

     

     

    Residents of Orlu in Njaba and Orsu local government areas of Imo State have deserted their communities due to military operations,

    Ongoing military operation in search of camps of Eastern Security Network members created panic in the councils, which resulted in most villagers deserting their homes.

    This even as the President of Alaigbo Development Foundation, Uzodimma Nwala, described the situation as unfortunate, saying it is difficult to know the true situation on ground.

    Daily Sun gathered at the weekend that most villagers have deserted their homes as military helicopters continued surveillance over the communities in search of members of the Eastern Security Network, an arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, since last week when the operation commenced.

    An Indigene of Uda Orsuihiteukwa in Orsu council, Daily Sun that though no indigene was shot by the soldiers, the military operation was causing serious panic in the area and that most villagers, out of fear, have deserted their homes.

    He said: “Situation now is relatively calm in Udah, Orsuihiteukwa. Military helicopters have just left my area a while ago after the surveillance mission. All security Hilux vans have left Udah community for their respective bases.

    “Civilians were not in anyway harassed in the exercise. No casualties. The invasion may have been warranted by intelligence reports. But the situation has caused a serious panic in the community. What has heightened the fears of the people is that there was no information from the state government that it was going to deploy soldiers to the area.

    “The leaders and officers from Orlu should address this security instability in our zone now. This is not healthy for the progress and advancement of the biggest senatorial in Nigeria.”

    An indigene of Umunam Atta community in Njaba council, Andrew Ibe, said: “The truth of the matter is that the soldiers are not beating anyone. But our concern is that there may be shooting any moment since their helicopter is hovering over our houses.

    “Again, they arrested one of our respected indigenes who is a priest in the Sabbath Church here. Since Saturday, when he was arrested, nobody has told us why.”

    Meanwhile, Nwala said his organisation is making effort to bring elders and leading monarchs of Ndigbo for a meeting where issues of securing the people would be discussed and solutions proffered.

     

     

    “The situation in Orlu is very unfortunate and no one could actually say the real situation there. But we cannot continue like this and our organisation is making efforts to bring elders and leading monarchs in South East to a meeting where we could discuss the issues security and the best way to secure our people.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • ORLU: Eastern Union Congress condemns Orlu killings gives, Government one month to set up judicial panel

     

    Eastern Union Congress (EUC), a think-tank for the peoples of the old Eastern Region, now South East and South South, has condemned the handling of a recent mayhem in Orlu by Imo State Government and security agencies.

    EUC regretted the death toll and burning of property in Orlu attributed to members of security agencies in their alleged search for members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    The group demanded the Federal Government constitute an independent judicial panel to examine the causes of the crisis and recommend punishment for those found culpable within a month from now or risked being dragged to the international community.

    “The EUC sees the continuing massacre of innocent citizens in the South East, at the least provocation, as part of a wider subjugation agenda and subtle continuation of the Nigerian-Biafran War of 1967 to 1970, which was waged by the Nigerian Federal Government and its allies against the predominantly Christian eastern region.

    “The EUC is concerned that the security agencies, which are maintained with tax payers’ money, have mastered the art of attacking innocent civilians in the streets. Indeed, EUC is alarmed by anathema of the regular resort to scorched-earth strategy, collateral damage and fear-mongering in every civil unrest internal security operations in the South East. The EUC notes that there is no other part of Nigeria where this type of operational rule book is applied other than the South East, not even the insurgency affected North East. The South East is not at war with Nigeria. This approach must stop.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Orlu disturbances: We are determined to prevent our people from being victims of Nigeria’s circumstances – Ohanaeze

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, said it will resist attempts to make the Igbo victims of circumstances or violence in Nigeria.

     

    It noted with agony the recent disturbances in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State which resulted in loss of lives and properties as well as caused immense hardship to the citizens of Orlu Senatorial Zone and others.

     

    The apex Igbo organisation, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, said:

     

    “The present administration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is determined to prevent our people from being victims of Nigeria’s circumstances and history of violence which they did not create nor can they alone control. Ndigbo, as the President General said, are builders and not nation wreckers/destroyers.”

     

    The group, therefore, called on Orlu people to remain calm.

    “We want to appreciate the quick response of Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and all the Imo State security apparatus, who, with the cooperation of Federal Government authorities, contained and controlled this tragic event from escalating. The Imo state government’s quick action and decision on a dusk to dawn curfew and withdrawal of the army brought about relative peace to Orlu Zone and its environs.

     

    “We must recall that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in his maiden press conference in Enugu on 20th day of January 2021, categorically stated that Ndigbo are not at war with Nigeria and had nothing pending before any institutional authority that demands a separate existence from Nigeria.

     

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo advises the people of Orlu Zone to remain calm and law abiding. And for those of us who misinterpret our tragic history, the Late Chukwuemeka Odumegbu Ojukwu’s statement that ‘the bone shall rise’ did not mean ‘conflict, violence and war’ but, indeed, means that Ndigbo should continue with their history of being creative and constructive in their engagements with the rest of Nigeria.

     

    “There is absolutely no cause, no goal, no national objectives that Ndigbo can achieve or is worthy of further loss of lives of our youths and others both in Igboland and beyond. Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels strongly that we should and we must continue our struggle for justice, equity and fairness with emphasis on options that are more likely to achieve those objectives without making our people experience the kind of wanton destructions and loss of lives that Igboland has experienced in the past, the group said.

     

    In another development, Ohanaeze congratulated the newly appointed service chiefs.

     

    But, however, decried the continued exclusion of South East the the nation’s security council.

     

    President General of Ohanaeze, George Obiozor stated: “We, particularly, thank Mr. President for the appointment of Major General Lucky Irabor a tested General and a gentleman. However, Mr. President, one way of ensuring compliance with federal character provision of the Nigerian constitution is to observe the distribution of important and vital offices of the Federal Government in accordance with the zonal structure.

     

    “Mr. President, particularly, in the area of the security architecture of the country, the South East zone which was conspicuously absent in your first term has now again not been included so far in your recent appointment of service chiefs.

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo hopes and believes that Mr. President in continuation of appointments in this sector would consider the South East zone.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com