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Imo massacre: Soldiers on rampage on us – community cries out *They’re not our men – army
As expected from past incidents, residents of Oriendu in Umualumaku Umueze in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area in Imo State are currently bearing the brunt of the deadly attacks, which left eight soldiers and some policemen dead in their community on Tuesday, as they are being made the scapegoat for the carnage.
Military men are said to have thrown a cordon of fear in the community, leaving them in fear for their lives, their offence – being unfortunate members of a community where the soldiers were attacked and lost their lives and not actually being linked to the commission of the crime itself.
In the last 48 hours since the incident, which attracted the prompt visit of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who claimed the attack was politically-induced, the community is said to have witnessed wanton destruction of property by security personnel believed to be soldiers.
In yet another incident of attack by hoodlums popularly referred to as Unknown Gunmen (UGM), who have been destroying lives and property in the South East generally and the South East in particular, a patrol team comprising soldiers, policemen and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were waylaid, killed and their two patrol vehicles set ablaze, on Tuesday.
Bemoaning the situation in a video, which went viral on Wednesday, residents were seen bewailing the destruction of property in the community, alleging that the act was perpetrated by the armed officials and that the people of the community were currently living in fear of their lives.
Wondering what their offence was, especially as they were equally victims, the voice on the tape, which lamented that they were being punished for what they knew nothing about, showed images of several shops, buildings, properties, food shops and bars were allegedly razed by the rampaging soldiers seeking justice for their colleagues.
PUNCH Metro, which reported that the roads of the quiet village looked deserted after the soldiers allegedly wreaked a devastating havoc on the community with only a handful of countable residents whose properties were destroyed seen, also reported that in one of the shops, uncountable crates of alcoholic drinks were destroyed, several lockup shops set ablaze, while in another shop also showed broken pots, plates, chairs.
The voice was heard lamenting: “We have suffered in this community. What do they want us to do in this community? That a crime was committed in this community does not mean that it is Ehime Mbano people that did it. You people should come to our rescue.
“Shops, bars, event centres and food stalls were all burned down today by the military men of the Nigeria. The people they destroyed their shops; were they the ones that committed the crime? Please, we are suffering in this community; leave us alone because things are bad. People are crying and asking what did we do?”
The paper, which also reported that some indigenes of the community had fled into the bush, quoted a resident of the community dealing on building materials in the area, as saying that the shops and other property destroyed by soldiers belonged to innocent people who knew nothing about Tuesday’s incident.
He was quoted as saying: “The destruction of some shops and drinking joints today in Ehime Mbano by soldiers is not necessary. Shops and tents belonging to pap sellers were destroyed. They should investigate, arrest those behind the killing of the soldiers and bring them to book and not going setting traders shops and buildings on fire. The entire place is boiling; I had to close my shop and leave to avoid problem. The heavy presence of soldiers along the road is worrisome.”
But the authorities of the Nigerian Army, were said to have denied involvement in any attack or destruction of shops, including drinking joints and restaurants, in Ehime Mbano, Imo State, following the gruesome murder of some security personnel in Umualumaku community on Tuesday.
Joseph Akubo, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Officer, 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, was quoted as saying in a telephone interview, he was unaware of any destruction by the men of the force in the area, adding: “Is it that military men came to destroy? Let’s be sure of what you are asking. I am not aware of anything like that. We don’t have a report of anything related to this.
“Unfortunately, everybody is bringing on whatever they like, but for now, the military is not conducting any operations around there. I will suggest you speak with the Police PRO. I think you should speak with the police; they are the ones in charge of internal security. They should be the ones speaking about whatever is taking place.”
Tukur Gusau, a Brigadier General and Director, Defence Information, was also quoted as washing the hands of the institution of the development, adding: “I am not aware.”
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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