Residents flee as security officials comb Imo community for IPOB members

From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Indigenes of Amucha in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State are presently on the run as security agencies invade the community in search of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB).

A reliable source from the sleepy community said the place is a complete shadow of itself as the indigenes of the area especially youths fled to neighbouring towns to take refuge.

According to the source, the targets of the security agents are mostly youths who were arrested and whisked away to unknown destinations.

One of the fleeing residents, who ran to avoid being arrested as a member of the pro Biafra group,Onwumere Augustine, said he escaped death by whisker following the heavy sporadic shootings that rocked the once peaceful town.

“The security forces came to the town unexpectedly. They were just shooting sporadically, and arresting youths from the villages,tagging them IPOB members. I was almost killed and I had to escape into the bush and stayed there for several hours before I ran away from Amucha. Same thing is happening in neighbouring villages”. Onwumere said.

Another resident of the area, Okafor expressed concern on the number of youths that are being tagged as IPOB members by the security forces.

“It is not every youth in Amucha or other Orlu communities is IPOB member, even those that are IPOB members are agitating for freedom, so arresting or killing all of them is not the best solution to the problem,” Orji said.

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in the State,Henry Okoye has urged the residents to remain calm and eschew fear,insisting that the presence of the security men there is to maintain peace and not the other way round.

“They should not be afraid, nobody is after them,their presence is just to make sure there is peace and i think what they should do is to support them and not panicking,however let me find out if there is anything like that.” Okoye said.