Following the continuous killings in parts of South Eastern Nigeria, community leaders and women have cried out for help calling on the international community and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to ask the joint security task force to stop killing their children.
While making the appeal, the women said currently, they do not know the whereabouts of some of their children who were last seen in 2022 and others 2023 after their arrests.
It should be recalled that, the Joint Security Task Force had declared some youths alleged to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wanted for their roles in sabotaging Government’s effort in the arrest of the Imo state commander Eastern Security Network (ESN) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nwokike Anyinayo Andy popularly known as Ikonso.
Among those declared wanted dead or alive by security Joint Task Force are Abel Obunna, Chidebere Nwuzor, Kelechukwu Kelvin, Nwachukwu Christian Mmadueke and Ikonso’s cousin, Cyriacus Obinna Efejadi for his alleged conspiracy and involvement in IPOB related activities especially in making his place a hideout for the IPOB Commander.
Speaking with journalists on the arrest and disappearance of young men, a women leader, Mrs Christiana Okafor, who is based in Onitsha, Anambra state lamented that the inhumane treatment meted on young men of the land who according to her are legitimately fighting for their freedom.
She said “this incessant killing is unacceptable and we want our children alive. Since August, 2023, two of my children are nowhere to be found ever since the security task force invaded our communities last year.
“The government has declared our children wanted dead or alive. I am telling you this for free, the ones that were arrested alive for the past few years, where are they? We heard they have been killed. May God preserve those who escaped wherever they are.”
Also, mother of one of the young men, Mrs Elizabeth Efejadi told journalists that the joint security task force alleged that her son, Cyriacus Obinna Efejadi of Umuarom Umudara in Ihiala local government area of Anambra state sabotaged the efforts of the government and so he was declared wanted dead or alive.
According to her, “since they placed bounty on my son in 2023, I have not seen or heard from him. As I am talking to you, his wife Patience Onyiyechi Ochuba, his three children and his wife’s sister, Chisom Vivian who all lived with him till this moment, we do not know where they are.
“I am calling in the international community and well meaning Nigerians to help us appeal to our government, I am an aged mother who want her son and grandchildren to be alive. Even if they come back home, I am afraid these security task force will eliminate them because it is now killings and not arrest that they do.”
She further disclosed that, “I can not be alive to bury any of my children. This government is bent on wiping out our young men and make our people go on extinction ever since they proscribed IPOB as a terrorist group.
In a statement signed by the President General of the Ihiala Progress Union, Barrister Okey Leo Ohagba dated February 9th 2024, the people of Ihiala condemned the wanton killings in their town saying “the killings must stop now”.
Barrister Ohagba said accordingly that, “the attention of the Town Union Leadership has been drawn to the recent mindless killings and ungodly activities in Ihiala town and environs.
“We call on the good people of Ihiala to be law abiding and to report any anyone suspected to be indulging in any criminal activities to the relevant authorities henceforth. Let us unite to save our dear town.”
Cyriacus alleged role according to Emeka Ejiofor an elder from Iniala community angered the joint security task force “who stormed our village in Anambra, destroyed his house and properties worth millions of naira”.
“Our security agents should not be killers of their fellow citizens, they are trained to protect them. This is a call to the international community to support civil rights societies and human rights organizations in Nigeria to fight against the excesses of the Nigerian security agents who seem to believe they are superior to their civilian counterparts and their lives do not matter. We all have equal rights to life. We must protect the rights of every citizen”.
Recall that, on Saturday 24th April, 2022, the Joint task force invaded Ikonso’s house and after a gun duel which lasted several minutes, he and six others were killed in Awomama in Imo state.
As at the time of filing this report, search is still ongoing for those who are said to have escaped.
It should be recalled that, spokesman of the Imo state Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye had disclosed that one of those declared wanted, Chidebere Nwuzor has been arrested by the command in his hideout.
Okoye said, he has been on the command wanted list due to series of activities reputedly perpetuated alongside his cohorts.