Imo Is Bleeding; The People Are Hiding

By Anthony Obinna

“On behalf of the already killed and  even more, on behalf of the living now threatened daily with brutal death, I charge Governor Hope Uzodimma, as the Chief Security Officer for Imo people, to step up and stop the killings by whoever is responsible for them

Last year, exactly about this time, I charged Governor Hope Uzodimma and other Igbo Leaders to protect our  people and defend our lands. That charge was provoked by threats and acts of invasion on our farmlands by  Fulani Herdsmen.

Now, our very lives are at stake as killings of Imo People are taking place in broad daylight and

at nights by both officially and unofficially armed men.

Imo people are on the run from known and unknown  gunmen. There is scare in the air and anxiety on the ground. Imo people are hiding, living in fear.

Reports of  indiscriminate arrests for no clear reason, and killings as a show of power or, in, alleged, retaliation continue to  spread.

On Wednesday, the 26th May 2021, I personally went to the Federal Correctional Centre, Owerri, to see the one  hundred and six young men arrested from various locations, accused and charged to Court, jointly,  for planning to  commit “a treasonable felony”. They are yet to be released.

On Thursday, the 3rd, June 2021,  I visited the Owerri Federal Medical Centre, Mortuary. As I painfully surveyed the  thirty-ve corpses, stark naked, on the bare floor, stealthily dumped there within the last few days, victims of runaway killers, military, police and unknown gunmen, with no identifcation on them, I thought of many others who  have been kidnapped, taken to unknown locations, killed and even butchered, as we continue to hear. Imo is  bleeding!

On behalf of the already killed and even more, on behalf of the living now threatened daily with brutal death, I  charge Governor Hope Uzodimma, as the Chief Security Officer for Imo People, to step up and stop the killings by  whoever is responsible for them. I equally charge all users and abusers of guns and deadly weapons to stop the  killings, to renounce violence and to denounce any show of pride in killing fellow human beings.

I urge the Governor to convoke a Ceasere Meeting of all Imo Stakeholders, no matter their disposition or  leaning, for a concerted approach to quench the bloody fire already ravaging Imo People, and destroying Imo  State.

Save Imo People – Save Imo State!!!

“Into your hands O Lord we commend Imo State.”

“O Mary, Mother of Sorrows and Mother of Mercy, intercede for your children”.

His Grace, Anthony Obinna, is the revered Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province