· As residents flee, business activities paralyzed
There are reports that armed to the teeth soldiers and other security personnel are still driving around Orlu community and environ in their armored vehicles days after their clash with gunmen that resulted in monumental loss of lives and property including popular Owerri based musician who returned from Port Harcourt to shoot the video of his latest song.
Our correspondent who visited the area said, “Soldiers are still occupying Okporo, Ihioma, Amaifeke,Ogberuru communities in Orlu local government area of Imo state days after their clash with gunmen.”
An indigene of one of the communities who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “there is panic everywhere. Our people have out of fear fled the community, while some are hiding in the bush to avoid being killed, arrested or unduly molested by security operatives.”
“Our communities are bleeding. Orlu is crying. Our parents are stranded and things are falling apart. The fear of soldiers is the beginning of wisdom. Our land cries for justice and we believe that God will hear our cries and prayers.”
It was gathered that “despite the sporadic exchange off gun fire between soldiers and some yet to be identified gunmen from last Saturday uptill the evening of Sunday April, 17, 2022, some people were also shot dead by soldiers at Orlu on Tuesday to the astonishment of many who thought that the situation has been brought under control.”
A source in the area said, “gunmen and soldiers on Sunday clashed in the area for close to three hours which led to the burning of a brothel, the destruction of vehicles and killing of some indigenes of the communities.
One of those killed, which eventually sparked off protests on social media, was a musician, Roco Nnadiekwe.
Nnadiekwe, 38, was billed to shoot a video of his latest single on Monday before he was shot dead on Sunday.
A teenager and a woman were also killed during the attack, with villagers insisting that the number of those killed were higher than the reported casualty.
But the military authority had said those who were killed were members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network operatives.”
