The Agwa community in Oguta Local Council of Imo State has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, and the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, to urgently intervene in addressing the reckless killings of their relatives by alleged bandits and herdsmen.
The people, under the auspices of Agwa Central Union (ACU), led by Benson Akunya, made the appeal in a letter presented to the state’s Police Commissioner (CP), Aboki Danjuma.
The CP had on Tuesday convened a security meeting with stakeholders of the area to address and proffer solutions to their recent security concerns.
Speaking on behalf of the people, Akunya, represented by Johnbosco Obodo, said the community demanded an end to the violent attacks, stating, “We are afraid that if there are no urgent actions taken by the government to prevent future recurrence of this evil from herdsmen, Agwa youths may resort to self-defence.”
Akunya said, “Agwa is bleeding. Our land, once known for peace, community, and resilience, has become a valley of shadows, soaked in the tears of mothers, the cries of children, and the silence of those whose lives were cut short by yet another unprovoked attack.
“On June 4, the very soul of our people was pierced when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded our community and brutally murdered innocent sons and daughters of Agwa.
“Many sustained various degrees of injury from gunshots, and others were kidnapped. This carnage is not an isolated case but one of many attacks that have gone unpunished, unchallenged, and unaddressed, including the shooting of a pregnant woman in her house.”
The Agwa people demanded justice and N1 billion as compensation for the victims of the attacks, stating, “We know that no amount of money can replace lives lost; however, we believe that this little compensation will go a long way in mitigating the sorrow of the bereaved families and Agwa people at large.”
“We demand the immediate establishment of a joint security task force stationed along the Ejemekwuru-Agwa road to guard against further bloodshed and contain the movement and operations of criminal elements in our clan. Our people deserve to live without fear. We deserve protection from the government.
“This is not just a position paper. It is a cry for justice. It is the collective voice of wounded people who have watched their loved ones buried without answers, who have endured pain without protection, and who now resolve to say, ‘Enough is enough.’”
Responding, CP Aboki Danjuma promised to facilitate their complaints to the appropriate quarters and urged them to continually collaborate with security agencies by providing credible information to assist in tackling the security issues in their area.
“I charge you, the leaders of Oguta communities, to look inward and do the needful. Because until you decide to expose the bad eggs among you, our efforts to restore peace and tackle security challenges in Oguta communities may not achieve tangible results,” Danjuma said.
