Fear, grief envelops thriving business hub of Eastern Nigeria

….youth agitators arrested ,tortured whereabouts of some unknown

As agitation for the total emancipation of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) continue unabated with the people from Eastern Nigeria, fear of the unknown and grief have enveloped the once thriving business hub of Nigeria.

This is as the region is pervasive with arrest, torture and subsequent unwarranted killings of youth fighting for their rights in the area.

The States from the region mostly affected are Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo with the loss of millions of naira and destruction of life and property as well.

Apart from the declaration of a sit at home order by leaders of the various groups who have been arrested, tortured and incarcerated without fair trial by the federal government, some of the youths who have been bold to come out to continue fighting for their rights, have also not only met stiff resistance from the government, but arrested.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of those who were able to find their way out of the country for fear of being arrested, tortured which in most cases have led to the death of so many of them have remained unknown, to the family members.

There are a lot of youths who have come on the watch of the federal government for either their strong support for the agitation and coming out to do what they know best for the emancipation of the IPOB.

It is no secret that some have been outrightly declared wanted without announcement, some have fled the country as a result of threat to their lives, while others remain missing with their whereabouts unknown to members of their families.

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The case of one Mr Okereke Obichuckwu Godwin from Ajalli town in Orumba North local government area of Anambra state; but residing in Lagos state easily comes to mind.

His write ups against the federal government on the agitation almost made him lose his life after he was allegedly arrested and tortured for his publication on President Buhari.

He wrote in one of the publications; “President Buhari wants to handover to terrorists and bandits after or during his tenure. He has allowed these criminals to take over the whole country and he is not bothered which is an indication that he has plans with the terrorists.

“If we still want Nigeria to remain, I urge the National Assembly to move a motion to impeach the President as a matter of urgency. The president does not mean well for the country, he is bent on destroying Nigerians before he goes or uses banditry and insecurity as an excuse to handover power by 2023”.

This publication infuriated those in authority and the alleged sponsors of the armed group trying to cause problems of insecurity in the country.

They went after those who were bold enough to come out to challenge the presidency on the issues of banditry and activities of herdsmen who have been causing mayhem across the country unchallenged.

With the unrestricted open attack, threat to life and the unknown phone calls to the lines of the said Okereke Obichuckwu Godwin, he had to run for his dear life and his whereabouts unknown, a close family source who requested to be anonymous lamented.

The case of the said Okereke Obichuckwu Godwin is just one of many such cases where promising youths in the eastern part of the country have either outrightly run away from their state, country or gone into hiding for fear of being arrested, tortured, or possibly pay the ultimate price.

The issues not only affected those on the run but as well as their families, when the correspondent sort to know the whereabouts of some of those on the run from their known residents,it was discovered that their wives and children are all scattered around not knowing what will be fall their faith, Mrs Okereke Nkechi Agatha for example has not been seen in the area of resident and her whereabouts unknown to them since her husband’s dilemma started ,it is now a divided family the source added

A further probe for more information about the operation, and fate of IPOB operatives in the hands of the federal government in most of the aforementioned states was not successful, as the necessary authorities could not be reached to volunteer the needed information on the illegal arrest, torture and outright declaration of some of these persons wanted by faceless government officials.