By Emeka Alex Duru
(08054103327, nwaukpala@yahoo.com)
As I write, many young men and women of my Orlu local government area and neighbouring councils in the senatorial district, Imo State, are inside holes and bushes. Traders and artisans among them, have literally abandoned their businesses and trades for fear of being arrested by rampaging security men.
For the second time in eight months, the zone is under siege by law enforcement agents. From different councils in the district are stories of uncertainties. The latest in the series was on Sunday, July 31, when vehicles, motorcycles and other valuables were destroyed when security operatives stormed a certain hotel at Okporo in the Orlu local government area, on suspicion that it haboured hoodlums disturbing the peace of the area. A residential house and over 10 shops were also burnt by the operatives, with no fewer than 15 persons arrested in the exercise.
Before that, there were reports of gunmen killing the Divisional Police Officer for Omuma community, in Oru East Local Government Area, Fatmann Dooiyor, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP). Omuma is the hometown of the governor, Hope Uzodimma.
Within the same period, the State Police Command, repelled attempt by bandits to attack Njaba Town, including a police station in Njaba Council.
From Orsu axis of the district, came a gory viral picture of a man whose genitals were sliced off on allegation that he was a mole planted in his community by government officials to spy on his kinsmen.
On the Nkwere/Nwangele stretch, kidnappers and robbers held sway, making life difficult for residents and road users.
In Orlu local government area, soldiers last Tuesday, stopped traders at the timber and building material market, from opening for business. The traders were prevented from opening their shops because they closed operations on Monday, July 26, in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was meant to appear at a federal high court in Abuja.
These are some of the ugly tales emanating from Orlu lately. Since the tranquil environment of Orlu was shattered on Monday, January 25, 2021, following bloody clashes between security agents and suspected militants, the area has not witnessed genuine peace. It has rather been reports of invasion by security men or gunmen on rampage, with many youths dead and/or wounded in the fracas.
Footages of Orlu metropolis conjure images of a war zone and a city under attack, with vandalised or burnt buildings indicating that things are not normal. Other neighbouring local government areas are not spared the gory spectacle. The situation is really piteous.
Now, one is not taking sides with any of the forces at play in the area. The immediate agenda is finding a solution to the already bad situation. Orlu does not desire its current stress. It already has enough to contend with in terms of neglect and poor governance. Orlu even with advantage of name recognition, has in irony of sort, refused to grow or has been denied growth by successive administrations in the land. As a local government area or senatorial district, it has remained rustic and in dire need of infrastructure uplift. Notwithstanding its reputation as the largest senatorial district in Imo with 12 councils, there is hardly much to put fingers on in Orlu in terms of industries, government presence and infrastructure.
Orlu zone has produced three governors of the state in the present dispensation – Achike Udenwa (1999 -2007), Rochas Okorocha (2011 -2019) and currently, Uzodimma. If Uzodimma goes for a second term, the zone would have been in control of Imo politics for 24 years. This is aside such other citizens of the area as Senator Arthur Nzeribe, Osita Izunaso, Jerry Alagbaoso (House of Representatives) and others who have had held significant positions at state or federal levels at various times. Yet, Orlu remains a glorified village.
Few government departments and offices, largely manned by marginal officers, give it township status. Aside these, the residents and indigenes of the area are largely petty traders, artisans and subsistence farmers, who depend on their daily efforts for living. It is these people who have been displaced from their daily activities, denied of their income, uprooted from their homes and reduced to the status of monkeys living on tree trunks on account of the ferocious tendencies of the soldiers, that matter most in the present confusing situation.
In a situation as this, elders and political leaders would naturally be expected to speak up. But in this case, not much has been heard from the political elite of the state and entire Igbo land in finding a way out of the serious crisis in Orlu. The South East Governors Forum seems unconcerned with the ugly developments. The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze, is also not taking strong position on the disturbing situation, even when its President-General, Prof George Obiozor, is from the zone. It is that bad!
It is such uncertain situations as in Orlu and government’s casual attention to them that provoke questions of citizenship and patriotism in a people. Governance is about the welfare and security of the people. But on this cardinal principle, both the state and federal governments have failed in Orlu. This is the type of failure that creates vacuum which deviants who ordinarily would not have mattered, seize to prance about as champions of the people’s rights and freedom.
The areas affected by the latest crisis are already down and should not remain so, perpetually. The people are yet to get over the trauma of the January invasion by security agents. With the latest round of siege, it is quite a handful for Orlu and its people.
Going forward, the residents must be encouraged to creep out of the holes and crevices where they have been forced to hibernate. The crisis in the area is a civil matter that could have been handled by the police. The continued presence of soldiers in the towns and villages around Orlu, throws up the ugly images of the last days of the 1967 -1970 Civil War, when the district fell to the federal forces whose marches into the area left in their trail, tears and sorrow. Such sordid reminders are better kept away from the people.
The blanket tag of criminality on every man and woman in Orlu as it currently seems, is not the way to achieve peace. The average Orlu indigene is peaceful and hard working. He desires a conducive atmosphere to carry out his daily activities. There must be an end to the creeping culture of violence in Orlu.