Amby Uneze in Owerri
Residents and commuters living in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, on Saturday were shocked to see hordes of security personnel, especially the Ebubeagu security outfit, army, police and other security operatives mounting road blocks in all the major junctions in the metropolis.
It was later uncovered by the unsuspecting publics that the reason for the heavy presence of the security personnel, all in battle ready mood, was to confront any possible attack by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who had earlier issued a warning to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, over the daughter’s wedding that took place yesterday.
As early as 7a.m., all the major roundabouts, especially the roads leading to the Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral Parish along the popular Control Post where the Church wedding ceremony was held, were barricaded by stern-looking security personnel.
Most of the security officers that dressed in black jeans and T-shirts with rugged outlook were identified as Ebubeagu personnel who were dishing out instructions to motorists and redirecting commuters to follow other directions.
IPOB on Friday has urged the governor to release 500 youths he allegedly arrested in the state and took to Abuja before his daughter would have a peaceful wedding.
The Spokesman of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, released a statement alleging that the governor invited security agents to arrest about 500 Biafran youths one year ago, and their whereabouts remained unknown. The group stated further that the governor should not be conducting his daughter’s wedding while the youths were still missing.
The statement reads in part: “This is also one year that Hope Uzodinma and his APC party invited the military to kill innocent citizens in Imo State and they arrested and abducted many people who they ferried to Abuja. We are yet to see them.
“They abducted over 500 Biafran youths in Imo State since last year, and we want those youths back for prosecution if they think they committed any crime.
“We gathered through intelligence that these youths were actually being brought back from Abuja to Imo State but unfortunately Nigeria security agents who were escorting them executed them along the way between Abaji and Lokoja in Kogi State.
“We are about to exhaust our patience. Hope Uzodinma should please return those youths before we lose our patience.
“Hope Uzodinma should be held responsible if anything untoward happens to our comrades. He should not expect to conduct his daughter’s traditional wedding in Abuja and the white wedding in Owerri while the Igbo youths he aided in their abduction were executed by security agents. The spirit of those youths won’t allow him to go on a celebration spree after making many innocent families childless.”
