Oguta (Imo), August 6, 2022 (NAN) At least ten people suffered injuries from cutting guns and machetes and seven vehicles were burned when a joint team of Ebubeagu Police, Army and Security Department raided the Izombe community in Oguta, Imo on Saturday August 6.
The heavily armed force destroyed and destroyed at least four buildings and 18 shops filled with all goods in the commercial communities of Umuokwu and Ugbele Izombe respectively.
Mr Sampson Uka, the victim, told reporters on Saturday in Izombe that he was inside the house with his children when the team suddenly stormed his home.
“I was in the room when I started hearing gunfire and loud noise in the shopping mall.
“My wife even saw heavily armed security officers and pointed guns at her and ordered her to go inside.
“When their noise subsided, we went outside, and found that part of the shopping mall of our house was destroyed and seven vehicles burned in Ugbele village alone,” he said.
Community Leader, Pauly Igbokwe condemned the repeated raids of the Izombe Community by State Security Agencies.
“It was in October last year that more than 150 buildings were completely destroyed and destroyed in Umuokwu, Umuorji and yes all of Aborshi Izombe and the soldiers over the dispute they had with the village boys.
“Nothing has been done about the massive damage inflicted on innocent people, and yet another attack is being launched on Izombe again,” he said.
Igbokwe said that they were still at the first joint Saturday Mass of the Catholic Men’s Organization and the Catholic Women’s Organisation at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Izombe when they received calls about the attack.
“We were at mass with Anuli Nzeocha, a young widow, when she was informed that security officers had set her shop on fire, people including the priest helped calm her down,” he said.
Igbokwe called on the state government to look into the repeated incidents of massive destruction of innocent homes in Izombe and stop it.
Others who spoke among them; Kelechi Ozor, Ifeanyi Osondu and Ndukwe Chidi expressed concern about the extent of the damage being planned by security officials and urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to stop the poor progress.
They advised the government to thoroughly investigate intelligence gathered and track down people suspected of criminal activity and take them away instead of destroying innocent homes.