By Dorcas Samson Achi
ORLUZURUMEE Germany, an umbrella body that shelters all Orlu people resident in Germany has raised alarm over the deployment of army and killing of unarmed peaceful and enterprising people of Orlu who were mischievously labelled militants and treated like common criminals or warmongers.
They called on governor Hope Uzodinma to as a matter of urgency relax the curfew which has entered its second week and set up a judicial panel of inquiry to bring killers of “our people” to justice, saying that Orlu people have been made to suffer owing to the sad development.
In a Statement signed by Chief Calistus Ifunanya Eze and Chief Mandy Ndukauba as President and Secretary General of Orluzurumee in Germany,respectively, and made available to NIGERIA WATCHDOG CITIZENS’ PLATFORM this Morning,the group advised governor Uzodinma to embark on community engagement with the people instead military action as such action carried out by the trigger-happy security agents can not guarantee peace but worsen the already fragile situation.
The group also condemned the attack on the traditional ruler of Uzoubi Umunna, Orlu,HRH Eze BC Okereke by the Army drafted to the area.Report had it that the Traditional ruler had gone out in search of food items having been taken unaware by government’s impromptu declaration of Curfew before he was waylaid by the security personnel.
The statement reads in part: ”The Army should rather redeploy their trigger-happy personal to the Sabisa Forest or other areas in the North that have been taken over by Boko haram and bandits who have continuously threatened the unity and peace of Nigeria.
We call on Senator Hope Uzodinma to relax the indefinite dusk to dawn curfew that has been imposed in Orlu and its environs because it has grounded economic activities as hunger and poverty are already ravaging the people.”
Among other demands made by Orluzurumee Germany Branch include:that the government should urgently set-up a panel of enquiry to investigate the heartless and senseless killing of over 50 Orlu residents with the intent to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.
The group is also insisting that military personnel who desecrated the highly revered traditional institution of Orlu by flogging and torturing a Monarch should be prosecuted for their action, adding that Orlu is not a conquered territory and under no circumstance would they fold their hands and allow strangers to insult and desecrate their Traditional Institution.
However, the group urged the people of Orlu to remain calm while they step up their advocacy in Germany with a view of bringing the attention of the international community to the carnage that is going on in Orlu.
Recall that unknown gunmen invaded the area and had confrontation with security agents. Thereafter, the military was drafted to supposedly quell the uprising but in doing so opened fire on unarmed residents of the area, killing scores of people, including a food vendor at Umunna, Orlu as evidenced in the viral videos.
