Residents of communities in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, who had heaved sighs of relief following the brief calm and violence free atmosphere they enjoyed for some time have once again been enveloped by fear, anxiety and uncertainty as a result of the renewed spate of fatal bloody attacks that have claimed the lives of many youths in the area.
A resident of the area who does not want his name mentioned expressed concern about the current situation which he said has scuttled his plan of having a memorable, pleasant and hitch-free house warming ceremony scheduled to hold this month.
He said, “Having concluded all necessary arrangements, I invited my friends to come and celebrate with me and they all arrived on time, ful ofl expectation. But the recent renewed onslaught that snuffed life out of most of our youths has made them rush back to their respective places of abode, thereby taking the shine off my house warming ceremony”.
He regretted that those at the helm of affairs have for inexplicable reasons failed to manage the situation properly. He posited that the situation escalated when some stakeholders who came together and resolved to extend an olive branch to the hoodlums with a view to finding out their grievances and resolving the issue were also given a raw deal.
“Can you imagine that, a meeting was convened in Lagos to see how the hoodlums could be persuaded to shield their swords for peace and normalcy to reign. But unfortunately, all those who attended the meeting, including the President General of Lagos Branch, three representatives of the alleged unknown gunmen were arrested and brought back. That particular incident seemed to have re-ignited and inflamed the already volatile situation that was gradually abating.”
There are reports of what many have described as well coordinated attacks at Umuhu Okabia, Eziawa, Ihittenasa, Umuhu, Amaoku and Amaebe, all in Orsu Local Government Area, where over 18 persons were reportedly killed in the past few days.
In videos trending on different social media platforms, dead bodies with deep matchet cuts and swollen mutilated faces have elicited fear and apprehension among residents of the affected areas, most of whom have fled for safety.
It was gathered that the gruesome killings followed the annual masquerade festival celebrated in Umuhu, Amaoku, Amaebe and neighboring communities.
After the festivities, some youths including those who came home for the Christmas and new year celebrations gathered at a beer parlour.
Thereafter, unsuspecting passersby discovered that the nine persons in the bar including customers and attendants, lying in pools of blood with deep matchet wounds.
A community source who does not want his name in print, said, “Everybody in the joint, all nine people, were discovered dead, either customers or attendants; they had been butchered with deep machete cuts all over.
He added that three corpses were discovered at Umukabia, consisting of family members, five corpses at Eziawa village, and another five corpses at Ihittenasa, all with machete cuts on the same day.
He revealed that the incidents happened and nobody noticed. According to him, three people were killed in Umukabia, five in Ezinwa, and another five in Ihitte Nasa villages, and nobody saw the killers come in nor leave.
The local source suspected that the killings were done with collaboration with Orsu boys who are members of IPOB and ESN that they don’t know
Orsu has endured years of IPOB and ESN dominance, which had driven residents away until recent military operations reclaimed parts of the area, allowing gradual resettlement.
Imo State Police Public Relations Officer Henry Okoye confirmed the killings and said investigations are underway.
Okoye said the police are aware of the killings, and already CP Aboki Danjuma has set up a high-powered security team involving the different security agencies to unravel the case. The CP appeals to people to remain calm”.
