2023: Tension in South East over violence

By Ori Martins

There is palpable fear that insecurity, particularly violence buy unknown gunmen may mar the peaceful and orderly conduct of the 2023 general elections in the South East zone of the country. Already fear of voter apathy is high on account of safety of life, which may affect the political fortune of  the Igbo candidate for the presidency, Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party.

Such anxiety is based on the very cumbersome constitutional provisions required to win the presidency, which entail not only winning in two third of the 36 states, but also the overall majority of the votes cast. The first challenge is the activities of the separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which been in a running battle with the federal government.

IPOB, which has the support of majority of the South East youths as well as the sympathy of the the adult class in view of the continued detention of the leader,  Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, had warned on several occasions that there would be no elections in the Igbo area, unless the former Radio Biafra director is set free. Although, it had since the entry of Mr. Obi in the reversed itself, there is still a degree of public concern of uncertainty.

Based on this, IPOB  declared Mondays a sit-at-home for all in the South East as a way of solidarity with the detained MNK. In the bid to enforce that directive, violence which brought about the killings of many innocent souls, has been taking place in various communities across the South East.

“IPOB and its militia arm, Eastern Security Network, ESN, in thier efforts to enforce the sit-at-home order usually confront anyone who tries to go about anyone’s business. And most of the time, it leads to violence and death of innocent citizens. Thus, this is why the Imo State Government has urged the masses to go about their normal businesses”,  the commissioner of information, Hon Mbadiwe Emelumba, said.

This situation is made worse by the controversial operations of Finland based IPOB second in command, Comrade Sam Ikpa, who has always threatened there wouldn’t be any election in South East if Kanu is not released from detention.

His announcements, which are normally well highlighted in the social media are usually followed by violence as gunmen suspected to be ESN will subsequently unleash terror almost immediately on various communities in the South East to indicate their readiness not to allow elections in the region if Kanu is not released.

However, IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful has always put a disclaimer to the effect that his Biafra group does not bear arms even as it is not violent in its mode of operations. Therefore, he says “IPOB has no hand in violence or killings going on in the South East”.

The incessant killings in the South East has promoted the  Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) to call for the disbandment of Ebubeagu in Ebonyi State as it alleged that the security outfit was the Ebonyi State Government’s militia squad. OYC made this clarion call following the incessant, brutal killing of innocent residents of Ebonyi State, lamenting that if nothing is done to disband the security outfit, the state would experience inexplicable bloodbath that would be perpetrated by the “happy trigger group”.

Addressing newsmen in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State’s capital, during a working visit,  OYC’s national president, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka described Ebubeagu, a militia group of Governor  David Umahi. The OYC gave a graphic account of how the Ebubeagu in Enonyi State has been more or less an anti people group rather than being a security outfit designed to protect lives and property.

It concluded that  Ebubeagu is merely an agent of the government and must be put out before the 2023 general elections. According to it, “It is, therefore, very necessary at this time to banish Ebube Agu Militias in Ebonyi before 2023 general election, otherwise heads will role”.

Probably, Imo State is the headquarters  of violence and insecurity in the South East. Two – Okigwe and Orlu – out of the three senatorial zones in the state have been taken over by gunmen, thereby making elections in the two senatorial districts near impossible.

In the Imo West Senatorial District or Orlu Zone, at least, eight out of the 12 local government councils are in the hands of the gunmen. Majority of the people have fled to the other neighbouring local councils or take refuge in nearby Anambara State. In fact, last week’s killing of a magistrate, Mr. Francis Ugboma, in his court at Ejemekwuru, in Oguta Local government area, by unknown gunmen, has raised the spectre, which the burning of a police station and killing of three officers in Oguta on January 21, 2023.

“I wonder how elections will be conducted in the Orsu, Orlu, Ideato South, Ideato North, Oru East, Oru West, Ohaiji Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas. This is so because these places are deserted. They are ghost towns and communities. Gunmen have taken possession of these areas.

“Moreover, the killing of prominent politicians and even ordinary citizens  in these areas is unimaginable. Remember the murder of 14 youths in Omuma area of Oru East, the village the governor. The killing of a local government chairman in Ideato North LGA, the killings of innocent citizens by the soldiers in retaliation for the murder of their men in Ejemekwuru in Oguta LGA.

“And do not forget that these killings commenced at Banana Junction in Orlu LGA as well as Orsu council area respectively. As far as any sensible person is concerned it will be easier to pull a rabbit from the mouth of a lion than to organize any meaningful election in the Orlu Zone area of Imo State”, Comrade Afam Echi, a human rights activist and political analyst, stated.

Except in Obowo LGA, the other five LGAs in Okigwe zone, or Imo North, are severely hit by insecurity and violence, thereby dangerously threatening the conduct of the 2023 general elections in those affected councils.

“In fact, all of Okigwe, Isiala Mbano, Ehime, Onuimo and Ihitte Uboma LGAs are currently occupied by gunmen and no one knows if they are ESN, Ebubeagu, kidnappers or gunmen.

“They go after politicians and the rich, they also hunt for the ordinary citizens. Mostly, they do not want to hear or see where people are obtaining their Permanent Voters Card, PVC. They do not want to see or hear where issues leading to the conduct or activities that will make the 2023 general elections to hold, are discussed.

“Of course, you are aware that former Governor Ikedi Ohakim was brutally attacked and almost assassinated.

“But he was saved because of his bullet proof SUV. Since then, no fewer than seven persons have been killed in the entire Okigwe zone. Like in Orlu, I have yet to be convinced that 2023 general elections can take place in the Imo North Senatorial Zone due to violence and insecurity”, Echi concluded.

Just like in Enonyi and Imo states, the insecurity in Anambra is equally worrisome. Despite the commendable efforts of Governor Charles Soludo, the nefarious activities of gunmen who have been attacking security agents and their facilities, top politicians and as well as INEC centres are very disturbing.

Not too long ago, the trio of Senator Ifeanyi Uba, the minister of labour and productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, and Soludo himself were violently attacked in different circumstances and separate times. Before those three attacks, the husband of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili was fatally attacked.

Even now, there has been pockets of violent disturbances across the various communities in Anambra State. Most times, the gunmen seem to be after INEC workers and INEC facilities. They normally set ablaze any INEC centre they confirm to be active with election activities like registration of voters or collection of PVCs.

When Soludo outlawed sit-at-home, it never went down well with the gunmen as they have continued to ensure that the directive is obeyed, particularly in the commercial city of Onitsha.

“Anybody, who attempts coming out on Mondays in Onitsha most times don’t live to tell the story”, Igwe Okonkwo, a shop operator at the ever boisterous Onitsha Main Market declared. “Till date, violent enforcement of the sit-at-home order still persists in Onitsha and other major cities and communities in Anambra State”.

The violent enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home has been a major concern for residents of Aba, the commercial and industrial city of Abia State.

“On Mondays, hundreds of millions of naira are lost in Aba and most other commercially inclined places of Abia State due to the sit-at-home directives. Sometimes, Emmma Powerful will issue statements claiming IPOB has put to an end the idea of the Monday sit-at-home. On top of that, Sam Ikpa will advertise otherwise.

All these factors put together make the conduct of the 2023 General Elections in the South East to be under severe threat.

However, all the heads of the national security agencies both in the national and in South East have promised they would do everything within their professional limits to ensure a peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections all over the country and in the Igbo territory.