The nefarious activities of unknown gunmen may have subsided in Orlu part of Imo State but some of the victims are still licking the wounds of the illicit as they have turned to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
That is the case of the family of Chief Anselem Chinedu Okonkwo of Ohaeke Okporo Ward in Orlu LGA of Imo State.
Since April 12th,2022 his family house in Ohaeke Okporo in Orlu LGA was set ablaze and destroyed by unknown gunmen ravaging the area, Okonkwo and family are yet to return home as they live in exile.
A public outcry from Chief Okonkwo who happens to be a Ward Chairman of APC for Ohaeke Okporo necessities Trumpeta to discover what the victim and family members have been undergoing since his house was burnt by criminals.
What attracted the attention of the newspaper was the post the victim made stating that despite burning the house, the suspected hoodlums went back to loot all the aluminum roofing sheet.
Chief Okonkwo, known as Ofedike na Orlu cried out to say “Its a terrible situation for me and my family, I want the government and people of good will to come for my help, I don’t have a home I can put my head now with my children. This is exactly 2 years I am still on IDP camp in Owerri. Please please please”
How did the trouble start;
According to Chief Okonkwo, his travails commenced last two years when Government of Imo State brought rice palliative to all the wards in Imo State.
Said he, ”
My name is Hon Chief Anslem Chinedu Okonkwo, Ofedike na Orlu. From Ohaeke Okporo ward Orlu LGA Imo state. Ward chairman Ohaeke Okporo in Orlu LGA Imo state. It happened last two years when government of Imo State brought rice palliatives to all the wards in Imo, as a ward chairman i took delivery of my ward and shared it in my house. After that, the unknown gun criminal elements came to my house on April 12 2022 with plans to kill with their guns. They were nine men with tiger bicycle, but unfortunately for them, I left my house some minutes before they came. They saw my wife and pointed guns at her face that she should use her phone to call me back home, which she did. But I could not come back home as requested.
“Some months later, they came back and set the house ablaze, but before that I had told my wife to leave the house with my children to another location. Till today that is where my wife and children have been and I ran away for my dear life”
Chief Okonkwo lamented that the displaced situation is affecting his family and five children made of three under aged whose academic pursuit and well being are seriously in jeopardy.
He said that being self imposed IDP is making him and family members undergo untold hardship and now that the Orlu area is slightly calm he wants to come home but cannot because of destruction and consequent stealing of the aluminum roofing sheets.
Asked if there is any official IDP camp established by Government for victims of unknown gunmen menace in Orlu, Chief Okonkwo said no, only that he had to do a make shift to keep his head and that of family under a roof.
Asked if the government of Imo State where he serves as party Chairman of one of the wards of the ruling party has done anything to their rescue, Chief Okonkwo replied in the negative revealing that though they had been asked to submit report of what happened which they did several times through the LGA party structure but till date nothing has happened and no one has reached at them concerning the matter.
“Yes, we have been asked many times to bring the reports which we did many times without response” he added
