.Urge Tinubu, Uzodimma, GOC, CP to intervene 

As citizens and residents of Umualumaku, in Ehime Mbano Local Council of Imo State, count losses, following reprisal attacks unleashed on them by suspected military operatives, yesterday, the Imo Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the upcoming November 11 election, Athan Achonu, has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and save the lives of the people.

He also urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to intervene and rebuild the homes, buildings and wares torched by the military officers. No fewer than five officers on joint patrol guard duties, reported to be responding to a distress call, were ambushed in the area, and were set ablaze, including two of their Hilux vehicles.

Achonu, who hails from the area, made the demands after visiting the scenes at the weekend.

He also urged the General Officer Commanding the 82 Division Enugu; the Brigade Commander of 34 Field Artillery Brigade, Obinze, near Owerri; the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, among other security chiefs in the state, to call their officers to order and desist from unleashing reprisal attacks, burning vehicles, houses, shops, hotels and eateries in the community to vent their anger over the killing of their colleagues.

The Imo LP gubernatorial candidate also alleged that the degree of insecurity in the area was orchestrated by people, who are targeting him to undermine his quest to govern the state.

Almost shading tears, he regretted that two of the deceased security officers accompanied him during his recent political campaigns in Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise and environs.

He recalled that he had acquired a massive landed property just opposite the scene where the security personnel were slain, essentially to build a police station, regretting that he could not receive any encouraging response from the police authorities.

Governor Uzodimma, accompanied by the military chiefs in the state, visited the scene on the day it happened. He condemned the action, stressing that he would put every machinery in place to ensure that the culprits are arrested.

In the same vein, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate for November 11 poll in the state, Tony Ejiogu, also condemned both the killing of security personnel and the reprisal attack in the community, urging that the culprits be arrested and dealt with according to the law.