Ohanaeze, IPOB Slam Military Over Resumes Airstrikes In Imo

There was panic in Imo state on Friday as security operatives resumed airstrikes in the state.

The military bombardment was reported to have been initiated against those terrorising the state.

The airstrikes, which took place in Amuzi and Odenkwume communities in the Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area and some neighbouring communities in the Ihitte/Uboma LGA of the state caused the natives to flee their homes.

An indigene of the area said, “There is an ongoing military airstrike in Odenkwume and Amuzi communities in Obowo and their neighbouring communities in Ihitte/Uboma LGA.

“They have continued to attack the communities in search of gunmen suspected to be ESN (Eastern Security Network) members, thereby putting the people of the area in fear.

“Just a few minutes ago, I got a call from my brother and other family members to inform me of what is going on in my community. There is a heavy downpour now that a temporarily suspended airstrike continued in Odenkwume Odenkwume.”

When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abutu Yaro, told Saturday PUNCH that he knew nothing about military activities.

The CP said, “I don’t know anything about military activities in the state. I only know that of the police.”

Efforts to get the comments of the spokesperson for the 34 Artillery Brigade Command, Obinze, Owerri, Babatunde Zubairu, proved abortive. Though he promised to get back to our correspondent, he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

But the spokesperson for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbenna, told our correspondent that it was against the ongoing military operations in the South-East, saying there was no peculiar reason for a concentrated military operation in the zone.

According to Ogbenna, the insecurity in the South-East and the South-South zones is not different from what is happening in the North-East and other parts of the country.

He said, “There is nothing special happening in the South-East and the South-South zones that is peculiar, compared to what is happening in other parts of the country.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo has already issued a press statement on this that we are against the arrest of our youths without any justifiable reason by the military.”

and Publicity, Emma Powerful, which was made available to Saturday PUNCH on Friday.

The statement read in part, “Just two days ago, the Inspector General of Police, while launching a special police operation for the South-East called Operation Restore Peace, in Enugu, confirmed the people’s fears when he asked police personnel not to wait for any other special order before they start killing protesters and anyone confronting them in the zone. He specifically directed them to ensure they eliminate anybody suspected to be a Biafran agitator or IPOB member, and not to bother bringing them to police stations anymore.

“There are so many security challenges in the North where the rampaging Boko Haram terrorists and bandits have seized the control of many communities and the local government areas, yet there is no shoot-on-sight order declared by the double-faced Buhari-led Federal Government. South-East and South-South are not at war with anybody but Fulani terrorists supported by the Nigerian government brought war into our land, killing innocent people while pointing accusing fingers at IPOB members and ESN operatives.”