How Nigeria Military and Other security forces bloody clash with Eastern Security Network (ESN) threw Imo families into mourning

Families of those killed during the clash in Orlu, Imo State, between members of the Eastern Security Network and  the Nigerian soldiers are still mourning their dead. Some of them lost husbands while others lost wives to the bloody incident. 

 

The victims included husband of one Mrs. Eunice Orji from Umuhu Okabia in the Orsu Local Government Area and wife of Mr. Paul Anubem from Ozuh Omuma Community in the Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, one person from Sokoto and three other persons from Niger Republic, including a policeman and a World Bank contractor, his driver and two police orderlies. 

 

Mrs Anderline Anumbam was a 43-year-old food seller and among casualties of the January clash. Anumbam popularly known as Nwanteje by her customers was killed by a stray bullet while she was attending to her customers around 2pm on January 25. For the mother of four, January 25, was her first outing in the year. She died before she could be taken to a hospital. 

 

Her husband, paul, told our correspondent at his welding workshop that his wife was hit by a stray bullet while serving people food. He lamented that she was killed while carrying out her business. 

 

He said, “My late wife was with our two grown children in her shop that Monday because we were not sure of school resumption. When the shooting started, she was trying to protect our children and was also serving people food. I was told that my wife who was at her shop for the first time this year was hit by a stray bullet. Before I could get to her location, she was already dead. I didn’t meet alive. I saw her in a pool of her blood when I got to the hospital.’’ 

 

Anumbam, left with four children, appealed to well-meaning individuals and the government to assist him take care of his young children. Paul said his wife’s remains would be interred on March 26. 

 

While Orji and Anumbam died of stray bullets, others died when caught in the bloody attacks. Eunice Orji told our correspondent that her husband was shot dead while avoiding the clash at the popular Banana Junction. Banana Junction is a popular stopover point for travellers coming from Lagos to Imo, Abia and Akwa Ibom states. They often stop there to buy fruits. Orji, left with five young children, described her husband as the breadwinner and a peaceful man. 

 

She stated, “My husband went to a meeting that day. While returning, he saw Nigerian soldiers were clashing with Eastern Security Network (ESN) members. He then told the commercial motorcycle rider taking him home to turn back. It was while the rider was reversing that a stray bullet hit him. He bled to death as the bullet hit him in the neck. He was taken to a hospital dead.’’ 

 

The 49-year-old petty trader said that before she could reach the hospital where her husband was rushed to, he had died. 

 

She said, “We never bargained for this. On that day, after eating, he left for the village. It was later in the day that a young man came to my shop and asked if my husband went out. I said yes. He asked me if he was wearing a particular dress and I confirmed it. It was then I became curious and asked him if something was wrong. He then opened up to me that my husband was shot and lying at Banana junction. Before my children and I could get to the place, he had been taken to a hospital. It was a tough task locating where he was taken to.’’

 

Requesting help from the government and Nigerians, the widow said that the remains of her husband were still in the morgue because there was no money to bury him. 

 

She said, “There is no money to bury him. I try to open a shop where I sell so that my children and I can at least eat.  I don’t know what the future holds for me.  The future looks bleak but with God, government and good Nigerians’ help, I can at least train my children and take care of our welfare.’’ 

 

On his part, the Chairman of Fulani in Imo State, Ibrahim Abdulkadir said they lost three of their compatriots to the Orlu crisis. Describing the development as unfortunate, Abdulkadir called on the Federal Government to improve the security situation in the country. 

 

Abdulkadir, who said Orlu was home to most of his kinsmen, said the death of three of his compatriots was unwarranted as his people were not known to cause trouble.

 

He said, “Most of us have lived in Orlu for a long time. We can attest to the fact that Orlu people are peaceful. That is why we don’t see ourselves as strangers. Our people are not in the state for trouble. I thank Orlu leaders for rescuing us. We didn’t provoke anything before the violence started. We thank the traditional rulers. We don’t want this crisis to fester because there is no community in Orlu that we don’t go to and we are peaceful. We don’t want to leave Orlu despite the incitement by some people.”  

 

Mrs Pauline Anuforo told our correspondent that the killing of her husband, his two police orderlies and driver was the saddest day of her life. The mother of one said she spoke to her husband in the morning before he left Benin City for Owerri that day. 

 

She added, “I didn’t know that he would be killed the same day. I didn’t know that would be his last day on earth. I didn’t also know that it would be the last time he would speak to me. I didn’t know he wouldn’t make it to the house to see me and our daughter.

 

“He was killed on January 3 when they had entered Imo State. I didn’t know what happened. It was his driver’s wife that broke the sad news to me. I can’t question God since God that allowed this to happen.” 

 

Besides, the wife of 40-year-old police sergeant, Augustine Anyanwu, killed on January 14, was shocked to hear the news of her husband’s death. 

 

She said, “Though my husband has been buried but I don’t believe he is dead. He was full of life. He was dedicated to his job and eager to get justice for the oppressed. Now that he was killed in active duty, it is expected that the government will come to my aid. I am not asking for too much. I am talking about the welfare of my children and me. He left a young family. I am young and our children are young too.’’ 

 

The Orlu-Orsu axis of Imo State had been a flashpoint since November 2020, after the nationwide #EndSARS protests. No sooner had the protests ended than Orlu and Orsu areas formerly known for their peaceful atmosphere turned into a war zone. 

 

The peaceful atmosphere enjoyed by the people of Orlu Local Government Area of the state turned to tension and apprehension after some Unknown Gun men shot and killed four soldiers while six civilians died in the ensuing crisis that drew local and international attention. While the state government tried to nip the situation in the bud, the Federal Government mobilised security forces to the troubled area. For many weeks afterwards, the Inspector-General of Police team was in the state. 

 

From November till now, no fewer than 18 people, including soldiers, policemen and civilians had been killed. On Christmas Eve, two policemen were killed at the boundary between Imo and Anambra states with their operational vehicles set ablaze. A businessman from the Orsu Local Government Area of the state was also killed. He withdrew money from an Automated Teller Machine at Orlu town and gunmen trailed him to a police checkpoint and killed him and two policemen.