Orji Kalu Warns ‘Masterminds’ Of Insecurity In Southeast As Residents Decry Harassment, Torture

The Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has called for restraints from those he called “Masterminds” of the insecurity in the South East, warning that the repetition of the 1967 genocide won’t be tolerated.

In a statement on Tuesday, he questioned the rationale behind the killing of policemen and military officers sent to protect the people.

Kalu further said “the policemen and military officers being killed are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives , children and relatives. Anyone that has lost a close relative knows what it means to lose parents or children. I am more concerned about the lives lost because of the trickle down effects on families.”

The former Abia governor also charged the security agencies to desist from alleged harassment, molestation and killing of innocent young people in the region.

He said he was worried that some security agents have been reported to be killing innocent persons .

“It is better to thoroughly conduct your investigations and avoid the indiscriminate killings of young innocent Igbo men . Our people have raised alarm and we are very worried at the rate of disappearance and deaths of innocent young men. Some of our young people now live indoors for the fear of being tagged unknown gun man, “he stated.

Some residents of Umuahia have accused the security agencies of killing and torturing innocent citizens instead of going after the people destroying government properties.

Some residents who spoke to THE WHISTLER accused the security operatives of illegal abductions and torturing of innocent people in the state.

Mr Augustine, a keke driver, said it has become a daily routine for soldiers to come to their village at night and arrest any young person they see.

Such people are subsequently taken to unknown places.

” Army people have arrested up to ten boys from my village. Up till now we don’t know where they are and all these boys are from this village doing their legitimate businesses.

“This is really worrisome, we can’t sleep peacefully in our village again as these soldiers visit here every night searching for our youths.”

Another resident, Mr Emeka Emenike, who who lives at Umuagu, Umuhia said many youths have all ran away from home as soldiers go from home to home looking for them and whisking them away to unknown destinations.

“Am pleading with the governor to please help us call these soldiers to order as they are secretly killing some youths for nothing sake,” he said.

Travelers who are coming back from Lagos and Abuja who could not arrived Umuahia before 7:30pm are forced to sleep at the Amachara Police Checkpoint as curfew starts by 8:00pm in the State.