– Kidnap Passengers
An 18 seater bus travelling from Aba, Abia State to Owerri the Imo State capital, was reportedly hijacked yesterday by Fulani herdsmen who kidnapped all the passengers.
The incident, according to eyewitness accounts occurred at a point between Umueche and Mbutu Okohia, in Ngor Okpala, along the Owerri-Aba Road.
As at the time of filing this report, it was not certain if the relevant agencies had made any effort towards ensuring the release of victims.
A community source who simply identified himself as Chief Okapara, said, “it is unfortunate that Fulani herdsmen and criminals of different kinds have virtually taken over the entire place. They are all over the bushes from where they pounce on unsuspecting including residents including our wives and children who they kidnap, rape, maim and most times kill in cold blood.
We have complained severally to security agencies and the government without any tangible result.
As I speak to you now, our wives no longer go to their farms as a result of fear”.
Recall that this newspaper had in some of our previous publications, drawn attention to the alarming insecurity in most parts of Owerri West Local Government Area, including Ihiagawa, Nekede, Avu, Obinze, Oforola, among others. The menace has now spread to Ngor Okpala and environ, where the residents no longer sleep with their eyes closed, while motorists and passersby have also become victims of all kinds of attack occasioned by the escalating insecurity that seems to have overwhelmed the government and security agencies.
The situation which has become so worrisome has attracted the attention of concerned groups and corporate bodies including the Owerri Archdiocesan Priests Association, in a communique it issued recently expressed deep concern over the situation. It also condemned the questionable silence and indifference of government which it said is synonymous with complicity.
attack innocent citizens. This has not been disputed. In a situation like this, which unarguably can be referred to as State capture, the people are not left with any other option than to defend themselves. Only a tree hears the axe and stands still. We, therefore, join the Director General of the DSS to call on our youths and vigilante groups to expunge fear and courageously protect our land. No one else will do it for us. We also caution our Igbo brothers and sisters involved in terrorizing our society in any form to remember: ‘Agwoloroibeya, oduyana-aputayan’onu.’
To the infiltrators using our forests as cover for criminal activity: This is Igboland! Our forests are not for human habitation. You are not welcome to hide under the cloak of anonymity. If your intentions are honest, you must live openly in identifiable homes as law-abiding citizens. Only wild animals live in the forests.
We also sound a stern warning to those sponsoring this influx of dangerous elements into Imo State and across Igboland: Fulani Expansionists, Islamic Jihadists, genetically modified crop inducers, mineral resources exploiters or a combination of these forces. We ask you to desist immediately! The consequences of this orchestration may spiral beyond control. The destabilization of our communities cannot and will not be tolerated.
We demand that the government and all civil authorities immediately fulfill their constitutional duty to protect lives and property. The continued silence and inaction are fueling tension, anger, and mistrust among our people. This silence and inaction signal a crisis that must be addressed with urgency. Our people are growing weary, and their patience is running thin.
The Igbo are a people known for their resilience, courage, wisdom, hard work and hospitality. We are peace-loving people. We urge anyone who comes to us to embrace the peace of our land. We protect what we cherish, and our history bears witness to this truth. At this critical moment, we must raise our voices in solemn warning-before what should be a bright morning turns into a tragic sunset at dawn.
Finally, we call on all the clergy and religious in Igbo land and beyond to commit this situation into God’s hands. Priests should make God’s protection of our land and our people their habitual Mass intentions. We must not fail to pray our Rosaries and encourage the lay faithful to do the same, soliciting the intercession of our Blessed Mother, The Virgin Mary, and asking her to cover Ndigbo and indigenous peoples of Nigeria with her powerful mantra of protection. “If God is for us, no one can prevail against us” (Rm 8:31). “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered” (Ps 68:1) “that free from fear and saved from the hands of our foes, we might serve Him in holiness and justice all the days of our lives in His presence (Lk 1:74) ”.
