By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Odimma Orsu Initiative (OOI), a coalition of influential Orsu stakeholders, including business leaders, professionals, traditional rulers and community leaders, has convened a world press conference to highlight the ongoing issues of terrorism, insecurity and lawlessness that have plagued Orsu Local Government Area (LGA) in Imo State for over four years.
With a clarion call for urgent intervention, the Initiative recounted the region’s painful descent from a peaceful community to a shadow of itself, marked by violent attacks, massacres and widespread fear. Orsu LGA has been under siege by criminal elements, primarily members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), leaving over 5,000 people dead and hundreds of properties destroyed.
At the event, recently, the Odimma Orsu Initiative outlined the origins of the conflict, beginning in 2021 with the arrival of notorious IPOB/ESN leader, Ikonso, and his associates, who set up base in the Udeke Valley. With the help of local collaborators, they orchestrated a string of brutal attacks, resulting in the death of security agents, the destruction of homes and the forceful displacement of families. The escalating violence has left communities like Awoidemili, Amaebu and others in turmoil.
Chairman of Odimma Orsu Initiative, High Chief Chukwudi Okparaku, stated how businesses have collapsed, social structures have disintegrated and now entire communities live in fear.
Okparaku appealed for further support from the Imo State government and the Nigerian Federal Government. The forum outlined critical measures needed to permanently resolve the crisis. These include sustained military operations to clear the Udeke Valley and other locations, enhanced surveillance through CCTV systems and rebuilding key infrastructure like schools, healthcare centres and public utilities that have been decimated in the violence.
Deputy chairman, Odimma Orsu Security Committee, Onyeoma Ezeifedi, stated that many youths were either forcefully recruited or indoctrinated into the criminal gangs, fuelling the cycle of violence, saying: “What we are witnessing is not just insurgency, it is the breakdown of every fabric of our society.”
“In May 2023, after extensive dialogue among Orsu stakeholders, the Odimma Orsu Initiative was born. The group has been at the forefront of advocating for peace, extending a hand to government forces and local security agencies in efforts to reclaim the region from terror. A key component of their strategy was the launch of an amnesty programme designed to encourage repentant criminals to surrender their weapons without facing legal consequences. The programme has yielded some success, with several individuals turning themselves in and cooperating with authorities.
Also, in March 2024, a significant joint military operation, led by the Nigerian Army, the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps targeted the heart of IPOB/ESN operations in the Udeke Valley. While the raid resulted in the destruction of insurgent strongholds and the recovery of weapons, the group’s leaders fled and the violence persisted.
“The latest developments have been grim. At the end of 2024, following a temporary return to normalcy, more than 50 innocent lives were lost in brutal machete and axe attacks. The destruction has left Orsu’s landscape a bloodied reminder of the escalating conflict.
“We call for enhanced collaboration between Imo and Anambra states to wipe out the insurgents who continue to operate in border communities. We need bomb disposal experts to remove landmines and restore peace,” said the spokesperson. “This is not just an Orsu issue, it is a regional one that demands coordinated action.”
“In addition to the military push, the group is calling for an urgent restoration of local governance structures, with the recently elected chairman of Orsu LGA, Hon. Friday Ibekeme, contributing significantly to security initiatives, including the imposition of a curfew to address the unrest.”
The press conference closed with a heartfelt plea to those involved in criminal activities.
“We want our lives back,” the spokesperson declared. “To those still supporting these criminals, we ask you to leave the path of destruction and embrace peace. It is time to end the violence and rebuild our communities.”
A member of the security committee, B.I.T. Okwuasonya, said images and videos from the press conference showcased the devastation in Orsu LGA, and further emphasized the need for urgent national and international attention.
Okwyasonya added that the Odimma Orsu Initiative has reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside government and security forces to restore peace and prosperity to Orsu LGA, but emphasized that a collective effort was required to bring an end to the suffering that has continued for far too long.