Insecurity, bad roads cripple economic activities in Imo community

Economic activities in Nsokpo Community, Ogbaku, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, are taking a hit as insecurity and the worsening condition of major roads disrupt farming, trading and movement of goods and people.

The alarm was raised by the Nsokpo Dynamic Association in a statement signed by its President, Onyejiaka Mark, and Secretary-General, Chukwudi Ohiri, calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma to urgently intervene before the situation causes further economic damage to the community.

The association said repeated kidnappings and armed attacks allegedly linked to suspected herdsmen and other criminal elements operating from surrounding bushland had created an atmosphere of fear that was affecting livelihoods.

It said farmers were becoming afraid to access their farms, traders were closing shops before dusk, while parents were restricting their children’s movement long before nightfall.

According to the group, the security situation has gone beyond what local efforts can contain, requiring sustained government-backed security operations.

It called for day and night security patrols, a coordinated operation to comb the Nwaogwugwu land and bush axis between Ogbaku and Umunoha, as well as the bushes bordering Nsokpo.

The association also urged the government to support community policing by providing resources for local vigilante groups working alongside conventional security agencies.

It argued that securing Nsokpo was not only a community concern but also a strategic economic and security issue because of its location along the gateway to Owerri, the state capital.

The group also blamed the poor condition of the Nsokpo–Ifakala–Nwaorieubi Road and Nsokpo–Lawa–Ohi Road for worsening economic hardship in the area.

It said the roads, which link the community’s four villages with neighbouring communities and markets, had deteriorated so badly that transportation had become difficult, costly and dangerous, particularly during the rainy season.

The association said the poor roads were slowing the movement of agricultural produce, raising transport costs and reducing access to markets.

It therefore appealed to the state government to reconstruct both roads and install streetlights at dark and high-risk sections to improve security and facilitate economic activities.

The association said urgent intervention would help restore access to farms and markets, reduce transportation difficulties and create a safer environment for businesses to operate.

The appeals were copied to the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner of Police, Director of the DSS in Imo State, Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs, Garrison Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, and Chairman of Mbaitoli Local Government Area.