In a seeming unprovoked attack, armed security operatives of Operation Search and Flush, a special security outfit of the Nigeria Police, Imo State Command, allegedly opened fire on members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) stationed in Orlu Local Government Area of the state.
The attack appears to signal a new wave assault between security forces and Igbo youths agitating for a sovereign nation-state of Biafra out of Nigeria. The development is also capable of rupturing the relative peace in the defunct Eastern Region.
ESN is however, a creation of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, explained that they launched the security outfit because of the alleged failure of the governors in the region to do so.
Kanu was accusing governors of South- East and South-South geo-political zones of sleeping over what he called the mass killings of their people.“Having waited for many years for our governors to secure our land as Yoruba governors did to no avail, we, the people of the East comprising of South- East and South-South have resolved to defend our land from the ravages of terrorism and extrajudicial killings.
“We can’t allow what happened in Obigbo to repeat itself. It has fallen on this generation to defend our land against the ravages of Fulani terrorism and the hegemonic tendencies. For years, our mothers have not been able to visit their farms for fear of being raped and cut to pieces. Our invaders, some of them from Sene-Gambia, are in our villages raping and killing at will.
“Delta State Government has inaugurated Operation Delta Hawk, a new security outfit in the classic fragmented approach of the East to issues of national importance. The West were united in their effort to combat terrorism in their territory, even Miyetti Allah, had the guts to float a vigilante outfit the spread to every nook and cranny of Nigeria with the support of the Presidency and northern governors.
“But in our land, governors in the East cowardly allowed themselves to become fragmented out of fear of displeasing their masters. I present to the world our first and last line of defence, the Eastern Security Network to bring to an end years of terrorism in our land.
“This security outfit, modelled along the lines of Amotekun in the West and Miyetti Allah vigilante group in the North, will provide the entire East (South-South & South-East) with the necessary assurance that crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal occupation of our forests and river banks by marauding killers from the Sahel are brought to an end with immediate effect”, the IPOB leader said.
However, local sources say police officers of the Imo State security outfit launched around last March, allegedly abandoned their vehicles in the bush after heavy shootout with ESN on Friday.
The security forces alleged engaged ESN in a fierce clash when they discovered that the members of the vigilante group were keeping watch in a nearby bush in a remote area of Orlu.
Already, IPOB leader has said that the situation in Orlu is a warning to the rest of the South-East governors allegedly organising counter safety security group against ESN whose job is just to ensure the Old Eastern Region is safe.
Kanu is calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and Governor Hope Uzodinma to desist in deploying officers in search of ESN operatives or they will face a similar fate.
According to him, ‘’Zoo people should tell their IGP, Hope Uzodinma and any other foolish governor in the East daft enough to send zoo security forces in search of ESN that they too will meet a similar fate or worse. Next time they should come with that derelict attack helicopter they borrowed from Pakistan or better a fighter jet, only then shall we prove to them how prepared ESN is.
“This is a mere appetizer, I am sure the main course will be served soon. Anything found in the bush is bush meat to ESN. Those zoo security agencies looking for ESN camp in Orlu, hope you found what you were looking for. Did we not warn you?’’
