Following the incessant Military attacks in Imo State in recent times, a group known as South East Youths for Equity Alliance has condemned the attitude of the uniform men on the citizens of the state.
In a statement by the National President of the Group, Comr Ekeh Ifeanyi Chimezie, the group called on the Chief of Army Staff to as a matter of great urgency call his men to order and enjoin them to carry out diligently their primary duties and responsibilities to the Nation and its citizens in line with oat of service they took to protect lives and properties.
"The military action at Awo Mmamma Yesterday is yet another saddening and heartbreaking inhuman action to hear of from such a security apparatus of the Nation. This is not the first time it is happening in Imo State and South East at large. Within two months, South East has recorded 4 incidents of the Nigerian Soldiers angrily setting people's houses, cars, shops and other valuables ablaze with the use of fire bullets and even go to an extent of showcasing video clips of where they are celebrating such a barbaric act. First it was Izombe in Oguta LGA Imo State on 8th October 2021, second in Etekwuru in Ohaji/Egbema LGA Imo State on the 20th of October 2021, another in Isingwu, a hamlet in Imama Village, Mgbowo in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State on the 1st of November 2021 and here comes another one that took place two days ago in Awo Mmamma in Our East LGA Imo State on the 22nd November 2021". Comr Ekeh stated
The Chairman went further to say that "While I frown at the action that led to the unholy reprisal attack by the Nigerian Soldiers–being the killing of Soldiers by unknown gunmen, I on behalf of South East Youths under the umbrella of South East Youths for Equity Alliance, condemn in its entirety, the arson behaviour of the Nigerian Soldiers in their reprisal attack targeted at Innocent civilians. Their action both in Izombe, Etekwuru, Mgbowo and that of Awo Mmamma of yesterday is very unprofessional, barbaric and unacceptable to us. I can't really imagine why the soldiers will not go into investigation, intelligence and search to uncover the perpetrators of the killings of their colleagues other than a reprisal attack to the environment where the incident took place and thereby destroying people's houses, cars, Shops, means of livelihood and also displacing them from their homes with the use of fire bullets that set these properties ablaze. I wonder why they can not learn from the US military who sometime ago came to Nigeria, entered into the kidnappers' territory and rescued their kidnapped citizen without noise or endangering lives of the innocent citizens in that area".
"I therefore call on the Chief of Army Staff to as a matter of urgency, with respect to his duty and responsibilities to the Nation and its citizens and in line with his oat of service to protect Nigeria Citizens and their properties, call the soldiers sent to South East zone to order, fish out those behind this Godforsaken behaviours and punish them duly. Failure to do so will leave us with no other believe that he is aware of their actions and was the one that gave the order or most probably has declared war on the Innocent citizens of South East zone with Imo State as a testing ground. Maybe he should start to explain to us why Bandits killed a high profile military officer in the North, the Nigeria army retaliated with a reprisal attack directly on the perpetrators, killing scores of bandits and why in South East, when Unknown gunmen kill a soldier(s), the soldiers will retaliate with attack on innocent civilians, killing, destroying their properties and displacing them from their homes?". The statement concludes
Comr Ekeh Ifeanyi Chimezie
National President, South East Youths for Equity Alliance
