Insecurity: Imo Community Issues Quit-Notice To Bandits

By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri

The Indigenes of Orsu Local Government Area have issued a quit-notice to the bandits terrorizing the entire 26 (twenty six) autonomous Communities of the area.

Community also came up with a proposed amnesty programme for the repentant bandits for the sake of peace and to arrest the Insecurity menace which is said to have taken over the entire Local Government for over three years.

Their notice came after a stakeholders summit aimed at finding a lasting solution to the lingering security challenges in the community, convened by the leadership of the Odimma Orsu Initiative which is the Apex social-cultural group of the Orsu People in Imo State.

The summit held on Saturday 13th May, 2023 at Rockview hotel in Owerri, which recorded the presence of traditional rulers, Political Office holders, captains of Industries, professional and bureaucrats who are indigenes of the community.

However, the stakeholders summit critically analyzed the lingering Insecurity menace in Orsu Local Government which have led to wanton loss of human lives, destruction of property/infrastructures and destabilization of economic activities of the people for the past three years.

The quit-notice issued to the bandits was contained In a press statement jointly signed by (Eze elect) Ezekiel Nwokedi who was identified as the president of Odimma Orsu Initiative and the secretary, Barr. Remi Ezedioramma-Agwuezie, made available to newsmen on Saturday, 20 May.

The statement partly read; “the summit came out with the following Communique,
“Stakeholders summit formally adopted the interim executives and admin to pilot the affairs of Odimma Orsu Initiative in the course of our struggle to bring back peace in Orsu Land.

“The armed bandits operating and illegally occupying Communities in Orsu Local Government Area are not welcome and totally unacceptable within Orsu Land and are therefore requested to quit our Communities with immediate effect.

“Our brainwashed locals who have been working for these criminal gangs are requested to take advantage of amnesty already granted by the state government, surrender their arms and submit themselves to local authorities within two weeks.

“Our people have resolved to partner with the state government in whatever capacity to put an end to the insecurity in Orsu land.

“We resolve to request government to assist us in removing the burnt down and abandoned vehicles, gates and trenches used by these miscreants as barricades on our roads.

“The summit also resolved to request government to consider the gazetting of our proposed amnesty programme for the repentant youths to give it the needed legal backing.

“The Communities in Orsu to bring up the names of the repentant”Umuoma” to the Odimma Orsu Initiative, for onward submission to Government for the purposes of amnesty programme.

“The summit adopted the template presented by the organizers of the summit to tackle the Insecurity which included the setting up of a United vigilante outfit that will partner with the security agencies to restore peace in Orsu land.”