IMO KILLINGS: Members of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) have once again denied any involvement in the insecurity in the South East and Imo State in particular, while laying the whole blame on the door step of the state governor – Hope Uzodinma and Asari Dokubo from the Niger Delta.
Basic Facts
- Imo State has in the recent times become very notorious for insecurity and various forms of criminality, including kidnaping for ransom, abductions and killings.
- Most of this criminal activities and incessant killings goes unresolved and unchecked by the government, both at the state and national levels.
- Federal and Imo State governments and IPOB have repeatedly accused each other of responsibility for the insecurity situation.
- The federal government have in the past also attributed the insecurity situation to what it refers to as “unknown gunmen”, but IPOB says they are government sponsored criminals.
What We Know
In some recent videos (attached to this report below), which has gone viral on the social media, a man could be seen shot, killed and dumped into a pit filled with water at a location yet to be identified by Clarform.
The video, which has been seen by Clariform shows four men who extra judicially killed the victim and dumped his body into the pit, which also appears in the video to contain other bodies.
The identity of the victim is not entirely clear as at the time of reporting. However, there were claims that he is the Commander of the notorious and hated Ebubeagu security outfit lunched in Imo by Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The Ebubeagu group have been accused of many atrocities by residents of the state. Most recent is the killing of about 14 youths around Awo Omemma in Imo State, in a very controversial circumstances.
Imo state government said the 14 youths were criminals and members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) formed by IPOB, which they say is meant to provide security in the Southeast.
In a life interview monitored by Clariform, Imo State Commissioner for Information claimed that the youths engaged security operatives in a shootout that led to their murder. He however, did not confirm if the security operatives were members of the Army, DSS, Police or Ebubeagu, even when pushed to do so.
However, sources who spoke to Clariform said the youths were innocent of the Imo State Government accusations. They said the 14 victims were returning from a wedding ceremony and unarmed before they were shot and killed. The sources also said it was members of Ebubeagu that shot the youths.
IPOB Reaction
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have since the event maintained that the 14 youths were murdered by members of the Ebubeagu security outfit, and have consequently declared the head of the group wanted since then.
IPOB have also accused the Imo State governor of recruiting operatives for Ebubeagu from the Niger Delta through Asari Dokubo, a well known militant from the region.
The IPOB group says that the operations of the Ebubeagu outfit has rather than help in bringing about security, has instead worsened the insecurity situation in the state due to partisan nature of their activities.
Notable Quotes
In a statement released on Thursday, IPOB condemned the insecurity in the state, particularly the recent killing of the man in the viral video, while also confirming that the man in the video is not the leader of the Ebubeagu outfit in the state.
The statement reads in part, “We, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to condemn the barbarity of all criminal gangs in Orsuihiteukwa, Orsumoghu, Orsumenyi and Orlu axis in Imo State.
“IPOB want to clarify that the viral videos showing the execution of a man with a red T-shirt and pair of Jeans who was extrajudicially killed in Imo state is not Ogwu (the mayor of Mozambique) the Ebubeagu Commander in Imo State that masterminded the killing of 14 innocent youths in Awomanma Imo state some weeks ago. It is important we lucidates that IPOB declared him wanted but the extrajudicial murdered person was not Ogwu the Ebebubeagu Commander.
IPOB went further to explain their understanding of what happened, saying, “According to our investigation on that horrific video that went viral the deceased was killed by some criminal gangs created by Hope Uzodinma. According to our intelligence report and discovery he was accused by the criminal gang of sabotage.
“The young man was deceived that he was joining ESN and along the line he found out he was recruited into a criminal gang and not ESN. He decided to escaped from their camp. The criminal group started searching for him for the fear he might be a big threat and danger to them .
“Unfortunately, they sighted him around “Eke Ututu” in Orsuihiteukwa axis in Orlu Imo State yesterday and kidnapped him. He was taken towards Lilu/Uda aixs around Ihiala area, executed him and dumped his body in a pit assumed to have other dead bodies from the video evidence as everyone can see circulating on social media.
“These are the evil we continue to expose in Imo state, we have on several occasions alerted the public the kind of criminality going-on in those axis. Most of these criminals and murderers were recruited and armed by Hope Uzodinma and the killer mercenaries called Ebubeagu in colloboration with Nigeria DSS.
IPOB further tried to link the insecurity situation in Imo State to the rest of the country and those profiting from the situation at the espense of the lives of innocent Imo people and Nigerians at large.
The statement went further, “Hope Uzodima brought all these killers into Imo State to increase insecurity and to exterminate young Igbo youths. Insecurity is a big business in Nigeria because it’s an opportunity to launder money by some governors and be in good book for his Fulani Masters in Abuja. He is cashing on insecurity in Imo State as some of his colleagues in Abuja and the North are making more money with Boko Haram and other banditry business and terrorism.
“IPOB stated this before now that the criminals were Hope Uzodinma’s creation and the Niger Delta militants which Asari Dokubo helped him to import his criminal brothers from Kalabari into the State will metamorphosed into the high class cannibalism in the East. Hope Uzodinma was paid to kill and demonise IPOB but he will only destroy himself and his family because IPOB is pursuing a genuine course for Biafra freedom.
“Our people must come together and ask Hope Uzodinma why he created this monsters in our mist. These criminals strategies does not tally with IPOB strategy because we are freedom fighters and not killers of our people whom we are paying ultimate price on daily basis to liberate.
“Some dissidents and enemies of Biafra freedom were busy sharing videos of the heinous crime in order to discredit and tarnish the image of ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers in the region.
“The ESN has nothing to do with the cannibalism going on among these criminals imported from Fulani and Niger Delta militants headed by Asari Dokubo. Asari Dokubo threatened before now that he will kill many Igbo people as possible as he could to demonise IPOB but one thing is certain all Igbo people cannot be killed by kalabari criminals brought by Asari Dokubo into Imo State against the innocent citizens of the State.
“Hope Uzodinma you can kill today but tomorrow, same monsters might turn against you and your family. The man was killed because he rejected to be part of the infamous group Ebubeagu militia that kidnap for ransom, snatches cars and killing of innocent citizens and continue blaming ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers”, the statement concluded.
Takeaway
The Eastern Security Network (ESN) was formed by IPOB in the wake of the Fulani herders attack in the state that led to killings and abductions of innocent Imo farmers from their farms.
However, their activities were swiftly clamped on by the federal government in collaboration with the Imo State government. The Nigerian military brought at bare the full force of the land and air forces against the ESN, and practically decimated their ranks.
In the absence of a working security outfit in the state, the Fulani herders moved from attacking, killing and raping farmers to kidnapping and collection of ransom, while the Nigerian police, DSS and Army were accused of looking the other way.
The insecurity situation in Imo State is now fearsome and very worrisome. The government of Imo State have been accused of many atrocities in the course of events. There are also sources that have fingered other political actors in the state who are in running battle with the governor.
