Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Thursday accused the opposition of celebrating the Awo-Omamma incident in the Oru East Local government area in the state, which led to the alleged killings of many youths by the Enubeagu security outfit, in the area last Sunday, as they were returning from a traditional wedding ceremony.
The government said this to Vanguard in Owerri, through the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba.
According to the Information Commissioner, “The opposition was jubilating because of their mischievous vested interest in the security breaches in some parts of the Orlu zone, their hasty conclusion on the incident has further exposed them as the sponsors and perpetrators of violence in the area.”
He continued: “The same opposition elements who did not condemn the not too distant incident of the random beheading of people and the displaying of their heads in market squares as well as the discovery of a dungeon where hundreds were buried and cannibal practised have suddenly become rabid crusaders against the shedding of blood as if the blood of those other people was ordinary water.
“The fact that these same elements could also not find the voice to condemn the burning of the country home of the governor and that of members of his government, in the same zone, equally confirm their complicity otherwise “why should they condone bloodletting and criminality in the same orlu axis only to hurry to condemn the government for a crime it did not commit in the same area?
“Both those arrested during the DSS operation and the Pioneer who took the security agencies to the venue where the non-state actors were meeting have confessed that the shoot-out occurred at the camp of criminals who were planning how to violently enforce a sit-at-home order the next day.”
“Just take a look at the pattern of the insurrection and concentration of criminal activities. They are in the Orlu zone, especially Orlu, Orsu, Oru East and Oru West, giving the false impression that the governor is not wanted even by his people. Can’t you see that this is a well-planned script of the opposition?
“It is absurd for anyone to accuse Government of killing its youth. That is pure madness. The government is awaiting details of the investigation from security agencies. But what has been established so far is that those who died were those at the camp. Once investigations are concluded and there is evidence of any innocent victim, the government will take appropriate steps to mitigate the loss,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, on Tuesday gave Uzodimma, seven days to resign as governor of the state or face impeachment by the state House of Assembly.
COSEYL, through the President General, Goodluck Ibem, stated this to newsmen in Owerri, while reacting to the alleged killing of not less than seven youths and injuring of others by suspected members of Ebubeagu security outfit, last Sunday as they were returning from a traditional wedding ceremony from Awomamma in Oru East local government to Otulu community in Oru West Local government area of the state.
COSEYL argued that Ebubeagu was an illegal armed group and that the security agencies should arrest them and prosecute them.
According to the Youth group, “The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex socio-political youth group in the South East geopolitical zone is saddened by the barbaric, villainous and senseless killing of 14 innocent youths that came for traditional marriage in Awo – Ommama in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State by men of Ebubeagu security operatives outfit. We condemn in the strongest terms.
“The groom and 9 persons that came with him for the traditional marriage at Awo Ommamma from the Otulu community in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo were killed while the other 5 other persons are from the Awo Ommamma community in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State.
“Also, 32 persons who were viciously attacked in the traditional marriage ceremony by the Ebubeagu operatives are in critical condition in the hospital. Their life is hanging in the balance and they depend on God to make it out alive.
“We will not accept the killing of 14 innocent youths laying low, Governor Hope Uzodinma must resign within 7 days resign from office as governor of Imo State or be impeached by the Imo State House of Assembly else the youths will occupy the roads lawfully in protest to demand his resignation as Executive Governor of Imo State. What we are seeing in Imo is longer democracy but tyranny took too far.
“We are now a laughing stock among the comity of nations because of not having any value for human life and respect for fundamental human rights.
“Democracy is about problem-solving, bringing democracy dividends to the people and making people happy but what we are seeing now in Imo State is the direct opposite of what democracy should be. It has been from one sorrow to another, from one killing of Imo youths to another who is killed under the guise of unknown gunmen.”
The group was of the view that “The Killing of these 14 innocent youths in Awo Ommamma whose corpses were dumped in the bush by Ebubeagu Operatives will not be swept under the carpet. With the way and manner, in which Imo youths are being killed on daily basis, Imo youths face a threat of extinction before 2023.
“We humbly solicit the pro bono legal services of Barr. Femi Falana, SAN, Barr. Mike Ahamba, SAN, Barr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN and all other legal luminaries in the country and outside the country please come to the aid of Imo youths before they are exterminated from the surface of the earth.”
“We call on the Federal Government to move swiftly to ensure that they take care of the medical bills of those 32 persons in the hospital and that they are given the best medical care. We also call on good spiritual individuals touched by the plight of these persons to assist in whatever way they can.
“We call on the international community, the Prime Minister of Great British, the President of the United States of America President Joe Biden and all lovers of democracy all over the world to beam their searchlight on Imo State in Nigeria to avoid a situation where Imo youths will all be unjustly and brutally exterminated before the gubernatorial election of the state in 2023,” the youths said.
