Network For Accountability and Transparency (NEAT) has called on the government of Imo State to take quick action in supporting the families of identifiable individuals who lose their lives during the widespread insecurity in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement by NEAT’s National Director of Information, Comr Nathan Ugochukwu, the group said they monitored the systematic collapse of security, targeted abduction, killings and destruction of valuable properties credited to unknown gunmen across the communities in the LGA which left over one hundred thousand residents in fear for over four years.
According to Comr Ugochukwu: “Our attention was drawn to the security challenges in Imo State with major concern in Ehime Mbano and from our investigations, we have credible evidence of some notable people who were killed and many who ran away for fear of being killed, even as we know that the government got deeply involved in taking actions to restore security through Military intervention and inaugurating a committee to take assessment of damages and present an official report, we are using this medium to demand for effective actions that would help these affected families to stand again without further delay.
They lamented that currently families and communities in Ehime Mbano are facing difficult times and the negative impacts of these years of insecurity are still affecting the socioeconomic life of the area because businesses are shutdown.
The group pointed out that they have it on reliable records that amongst the families directly affected is that of Chief John Eboh (Oche wu Oche) a politician and businessman who was abducted at his residence in Umuerim, Umunakanu Owerre on the 16th of November,2022. His house and car was burnt to ashes before he was whisked away and did not return to his family.
On the 25th of November, 2024 a famous Traditional Ruler, HRH Eze Eric Uchegbu who retired as a Senior Police Officer was abducted at his palace at Agbaja community and nothing has been heard of him till this date.
In addition, on the 20th of February, 2024 Dr Pascal Agbake, Traditional Prime Minister of Ezeala Owerre/Ezike Autonomous Community in the LGA, was abducted at his Umuezike residence while another community leader, Chief Kenneth Nwachukwu was carried at his Umuofor country home in Umunumo that same day.
NEAT revealed that in November 2021, Barr CC Duru, a Legal Practitioner and human right advocate was attacked at him country home in Umueze village of Ezeala Owerre/Ezike in Ehime Mbano, he sustained spinal injury and passed away in 2024.
An elder statesman, Chief Anosike was burnt to death by unknown gunmen at orieikpa in Agbaja on the 14th of January, 2023 as it was alleged that he works for the government..
In August 2024 the death of Mr Chinedu Akubueze, a Publisher and Chairman of Aba Branch Satelite Market was announced after he was dragged out of his house in Umuebo village, Ezeala Owerre/Ezike and shot to death by unknown gunmen.
Another youth, Fidelis Ekechukwu, a native of Umueze in Umuezeala was shot to death at Umualumaku during one of their attacks in June 2024 that equally led to the death of other people from Ehime Mbano.
In the month of February 2025, Nze Ben Uche, a famous Youth Leader was shot at his Umuezeala Ogwara residence before his wife and children while the likes of Mr Obi Bonaventure, a popular hospitality businessman who fled to Abuja after many attempts to take his life was later murdered in his residence by unknown gunmen as it was alleged that they claimed that these victims were government informants.
NEAT argued that Ehime Mbano Local Government Area witnessed a rise in localized violence, attacks by unknown gunmen and uncountable human right violation by security operatives which affected families, economic activities and deaths and a quick action is expected of the government and not just leap services for cheap political gains or popularity.
Mr Uchenna Okafor, a member of the group who confirmed that he is a native of Umueze-1 in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area confirmed that the situation has been horrible and painful.
Mr Okafor said at the moment, the youths in the communities across the Local Government have fled the area for fear of being killed, abducted or hooked into issues that would affect them.
He revealed: that:”As it stands today, go to our villages and communities in Ehime Mbano, you will not find youths around because they have all moved out to other places to find a means of living because of insecurity, while the business places of those who excaped death were burnt down.
We are adding our voices to call on the Government to take actions and ensure that all the reports from the assessment committee are implemented in the interest of the people of Ehime Mbano.
