By Ben Ekezie
It is not Sambisa Forest, Chibok town or any part of the north occupied by bandits, it is Orsu area in Awo Idemili area of Imo State.
Over the years, Awo Idemili community remained one of the fastest developing areas in Imo State and provided a good access road from Abia to Anambra especially for travellers.
However, the good old days are over, as Awo, as it is called for short, is now a ghost town because of its invasion by restive youths who claim to be freedom fighters for the cause of Biafra.
A driver of a popular transport company, who used to ply the route spoke extensively with our reporter on the insecurity situation on the road, and how the government abandoned that route three years ago.
This he claimed was due the incessant cases of kidnappings and other criminalities on that axis.
According to him, the federal government has started process of dualising the road before the devil was unleashed in the zone.
For fear of the unknown, every person who spoke with naijapolice pleaded to remain anonymous.
A middle-aged man based in Port Harcourt claimed that two of his brothers were killed by people he referred to as political thugs.
“For the past three years, I have not stepped into my father’s compound. I lost two of my brothers, am the only living son of my father. I am on the run until the area is sanitized.
“They are not IPOB people but thugs that have seen free money by kidnapping people. We are calling on the state governor to forgive all and grant these men amnesty so that they can give up arms. It is no longer funny and for fear of dying, I will not step into Awo Idemili again, ” he said.
A farmer, who simply identified herself as Mama Nnonso, who was spotted selling pure water by the road side, said their farms have been turned to burial grounds.
“You are free to go and see things for yourself. I am selling water to survive when I have several plots of land that I can cultivate and feed my family. They have taken over our farms, they have littered our farms with dead bodies. Do you see normal people passing this road. The ones that mistakenly pass through are in a hurry to leave. We want our lives back; It’s horrible, ” she said.
A traditional ruler, who abandoned his palace, and now resides in Owerri, lamented that the Governor has not done anything to save them from these boys. “If you are a traditional ruler in Orlu and Orsu and you dare to challenge them, they will behead you. There blood thirsty terrorists and I doubt if it only done by natives. We are not known for such cruelty, ” the monarch lamented.
On who could be responsible, the traditional ruler said that it started initially by group of men who identified with the IPOB struggle. Then a lot of youths who believed in them left their bases across the country to identify with the group. But gradually, they became political thugs. So many youths who are jobless relocated and if you asked them, they would say that they were well paid.
“It’s quite unfortunate but the fact remains that if I don’t pay, they will bring down the little structure that I saved money for years to build, adding that, “my family drops cash at an agreed spot for them every month and they were allowed to occupy part compound. It is terrible.”
Another elder based in Lagos lamented that part of Uli in Anambra is also held hostage. “To gather and bury our loved ones is like a suicide mission there. People don’t even bother to come home for that purpose. The last burial that we had of a 92-year-old man, we went to church in Okija for the funeral service and the corpse were handed over to thugs in company of his son who paid huge money to them to escort his father for burial in their compound in Uli. It is sad, but that is our new reality. We are begging Soludo to intervene and restore sanity to the area. It is sad because it has put a stain on our daughters who can longer travel home for their traditional wedding.
“Who in their right mind will agree to marry a girl whose family members are on the run. I am even taking risk talking to you. Please do not put my name as I am not ready to have my father’s house razed by these thugs who claim to be members of IPOB,” he said.
He further stated that, “initially they were indeed fighting for the cause of Biafra, but I can tell you now that those thugs are terrorists. Nnamdi Kanu has no control over them. Even if they release him tomorrow and declare Biafra nation, these bandits will continue with their evil act.”
On why they seem to be operating with impunity, a senior police officer who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, accused the elders of the community of not playing their role in calling their sons to order.
“It is no longer activism or the call for Biafra. Its simply lazy youths who have seen kidnapping and banditry as a fast way of making money. We have lost enough personnel in the hands of those people, _and the annoying part is the people crying foul were the ones who_ _allowed their sons to exist in the first place._ If they had allowed to us bring an end to this, we will not have degenerated to this level. It is the people of the community that will solve this problem by identifying their people who are into this act.”
