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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Palpable fear gripped natives of Umuonyeka, Ihitteafoukwu and Okponkume communities in the Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, on Saturday, as Joint Security Task Force (JTF) allegedly razed down buildings suspected to be homes of members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
A source from the areas told Daily Sun that the heavily armed security operatives stopped only at the homes of their targets and, where they did not meet their suspects, they had their buildings razed down.
The source claimed that they came to arrest one Uche Madu alleged to be a member of the ESN group, but when they did not see him at home resorted to razing the building of his family members.
“It was alleged that they came to apprehend one Mr Uche Madu who is alleged to be a member of the ESN, but when they couldn’t get him, all hell was let loose and they descended on the Country home of his siblings, Sonyval and Chinonso Madu, which they set ablaze without allowing even a single pin to be evacuated from the building.
“While I do not condone any indigene of Ihitteafoukwu to be involved with any unlawful act or criminal activities, it is still pertinent to state that the invasion and arson perpetrated in our land today is highly condemnable and Ill-advised.
“In an era where security matters and investigation are handled and unravelled by intelligence gathering, the resort to arson by supposed law enforcement agents can best be described as an affront and highly unlawful.
“In recent times, Imo State has continued to make screaming headlines in both local and international media for the wrong reasons. it is, therefore, incumbent on the state Governor, Hope Uzodinma, who is also the Chief Security Officer of the State, to rise up to the challenge and ensure that such incidents like the Ihitteafoukwu invasion that exposes the security volatility of the state is nipped in the bud,” the source said.
Another source from Ihitteafoukwu autonomous community disclosed that the security men invaded the home of another indigene, popularly known as ‘Ekeson’, a member of vigilante group in the community, and arrested him while he was trying to escape and later returned to set his family house ablaze with three other neighbouring houses in the compound.
He said: “Unidentified security men came to Okponkume, arrested Ekeson and burnt down their house and neighbour’s. We learnt the security men were after ESN members”
However, when contacted, the State police spokesperson, Michael Abattam, exonerated his men from the incident even as he said he was yet to be briefed on the matter. “I’m not aware of the incident, but the law enforcement agent that carried out the act can never be a police officer,” he said.
