Umundugba Community Raises Alarm Over Youths Declared Wanted By Gunmen

 

Umundugba community in Isu Local Government Area, Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State, has expressed deep concern over the whereabout of five of its youths declared wanted by ravaging gunmen agitating for a Biafra republic in their community since 2022.

 

The list of the missing youths according to the President General of the community, Chief Victor Iwuala, are Maginus Onwumere Ezinwanne, Calistus Uzoechi , Linus Okafor, Uche Obiora and Nnanna Odunze.

 

The PG Speaking to newsmen on the development at the weekend, said Onwumere, who is a politician’s son, was among those declared wanted by the gunmen in their community for blowing whistle about their activities in 2022.

 

Iwuala disclosed that Onwumere was among the brave indigenes of the community that exposed the criminal activities of the gunmen, who later placed a huge bounty on his head.

“His family house was razed by the gunmen, his parents where lucky to escape the compound before the attack by the hoodlums. The parents too have not visited home since then for fear of being killed and nobody has set eyes on him or the four others since then.”

“Majority of the youths were forced and initiated into their gang. Despite the efforts of the security agencies to build confidence in the minds of the people to return home, some of them are still afraid. ” Iwuala said.

 

He added, “We don’t have activities conducted in our community again: burial ceremonies are done in the cities after which few escort the corpse home for burial and that’s after paying the gunmen”.

“There is a mass exodus of our people to the cities leaving the aged ones at home. We don’t know where Onwumere and this other four children of the community have been since they left home in fear.”

 

Iwuala revealed that he has also been in hiding since then as a result of the fierce attack on his building that year.

Meanwhile, another native of the area, who does not want his name mentioned, said the killing of the two Police officers at Akabo recently might increase the security risks there as patrol teams he said were already seen moving about ferociously.

 

“When you think everything is fine again another one happens; those who were planning to return before, when they thought the situation has calmed down, ran back to where they were hiding. We don’t know if it was because of the death of the two Policemen killed at Akabo.”

 

“On June 11, five construction workers were attacked by the gunmen at Okporo, Orlu. They were working for a white man on the road when they were attacked. All these are still happening here in Orlu, including the compulsory sit-at-home on Mondays.” the source said.