The Igbo cherish burying their deceased of their ancestral homesteads, however appeasing gunmen earlier than doing so now has change into an “business” the place tens of millions of naira are raked in by non-state actors. As afflictions besetting the South-East proliferate, this ugly pattern, which is blossoming day by day solely provides to a protracted checklist of concepts, which males of the underworld are churning out of their bid to alienate and destroy the area. Worryingly, political leaders’ skill to engineer sustainable options to rising and novel crimes which are day by day haemorrhaging the as soon as thriving area is now forcing youngsters to bury their lifeless dad and mom and others offshore. LAWRENCE NJOKU writes on the necessity to curb the pattern and be certain that the lifeless can relaxation in peace.
Forward of the interment of Mazi Edwin Ohia, of Obioha-Ohia Household, in Akaeme Ohia-Uchu, Arondizuogu, in Ideato North Native Council of Imo State, on Friday, November 29, 2024, his son-in-law, and the Board Chair of Worldwide Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Regulation (InterSociety), Emeka Umeagbalasi, had made elaborate plans to pay his final respect to the deceased within the firm of his quick members of the family, pals and acquaintances.
One of many autos deployed for the funeral social gathering, a branded Mitsubishi Hilux 200, which bore InterSociety’s emblem, and was pushed by Comrade Chike Umeh, was dispatched by Umeagbalasi to drop off his spouse, Blessing; son, Chimdiebube; his sister-in-law, Chidinma, in addition to, their home assist in Arondizuogu, for his father in-law’s funeral, which was slated for Nov 29, 2024.
Umeh had efficiently dropped all concerned off and was on his manner again to Onitsha, Anambra State, at about 4:30 pm when he got here underneath assault by gunmen.
En path to Onitsha, autos plying the highway had been blocked by troopers from making use of the Umunze-Ihite-Ndiokoliorji-Arondizuogu-Okigwe Street, therefore, Umeh was compelled to make use of a bush path, by the appropriate facet of a checkpoint mounted by operatives of the Nigerian Military. The compelled diversion practically value Umeh and different highway customers their pricey lives as lurking gunmen rained bullets on them.
Umeagbalasi whereas recounting the near-death encounter of Comrade Umeh, his long-time good friend, driver, and in-law, stated after the “Counterfeit Biafra Agitators” practically snuffed life out of Umeh, he deserted the car with the keys and bolted for his pricey life in the end ending up on the Ihite-Umunze Military Checkpoint.
The snatched car was zoomed off towards Okigwe in Imo State by the armed males. It later received grounded when a neighborhood noticed it and reported it to Obioha-Ohia Household. To retrieve the car from the alleged Biafran agitators, Umeagbalasi’s in-laws paid N250,000.
On Thursday, December 5, 2024, between 7.30 a.m. and eight a.m., barely seven days after the funeral had taken place at Akaeme-Ohiauchu in Arondizuogu, the Mitsubishi Hilux was snatched for the second time at gunpoint, by one other group of Biafran agitators. The incident befell at Ezinifite (Amaekwulu) Roundabout in Ezinifite-Aguata because the car conveying the Umeabalasis was returning to Onitsha from Enuama-Ifite in Ezinifite, Aguata, Anambra State. The members of the family had returned to Ezinifite from Arondizuogu the day gone by (Wednesday, December 4, 2024) following the completion of the funeral rites.
Final December, Jerome (surname withheld), an Enugu State-based auto electrician was compelled to cough out N200,000 to an unlawful group, Umuchineke (God’s youngsters) earlier than he may bury his father in Umulolo Village, Okigwe, Imo State,
“These boys warned us that we might stay in perpetual remorse if we proceeded to conduct the burial with out settling them. So, we needed to search for the cash and pay them earlier than the funeral rites had been carried out. We didn’t need issues as a result of it’s only a tree that may stay standing within the face of a menace. The mere sight of these boys was not a great one,” he acknowledged.Kelechi, a local of Ngor Okpalla in Imo State, had a detailed shave with dying by the hands of hoodlums, who trailed him for weeks throughout preparations for the burial of his mom.
Someday final December, Kelechi made purchases for the funeral in Owerri and was conveying the gadgets to his village when he was double-crossed by some gun-wielding males, who pulled him out of his automobile, bundled, and tucked him right into a nook of the automobile and zoomed off.
Ngozi Okeke, the one daughter of the household, who returned from Enugu that fateful night, for the assembly with their kindred stood in for her older brother (Kelechi). The information of his kidnap introduced the assembly to an abrupt finish.
Within the first two days after the incident, family members had been distraught as they waited for data relating to Kelechi’s whereabouts. His abductors, nevertheless, contacted the household on the third day and demanded the sum of N15 million, which they insisted have to be settled if Kelechi have to be launched for the burial to be held.
“It took assist from pals and organisations, in addition to the sale of some properties to boost the N15 million, which they insisted should comprise greenback payments and naira for my brother to regain his freedom, and for us to conduct the burial. It was not a great expertise because the trauma alone was overwhelming,” she recalled.
In response to her, most individuals who may have attended the burial refused to point out up after the incident, including that the frilly plans they earlier made had been promptly scaled down.
On the hideout, the place he was held captive, Kelechi was knowledgeable how he had been on their radar from the day that his late mom’s burial plans had been introduced. He was additionally warned that the fee of the ransom was the one situation for her burial, which was slated for December 19, final 12 months. He regained freedom just a few days earlier than his mom’s internment.
On December 31, 2024, gunmen invaded the household of Umuike Ubahuekwem, in Ihiala Native Council as they ready to bury their mom on January 2, this 12 months. The invasion noticed the killing of seven folks, together with two safety officers, and a few artisans who had been fixing issues within the compound forward of the burial.
It was gathered that the gunmen, who claimed they had been implementing a sit-at-home order, really focused the household for allegedly “failing to take cognizance of them whereas executing their burial plans.”
4 days earlier than the burial of his late mom, which was scheduled for Thursday, twenty first November final 12 months, a Port Harcourt, Rivers State-based architect, Asomba Egbonu was murdered by gunmen in his nation residence, in Nnewi Native Council of Anambra State.
The foregoing unhappy and despicable situations represent a brand new and ugly dimension to the safety challenges rocking the South-East because it regularly unfurls. Put in another way, the demand for cash fabricated from pals, family members, and family members of the lifeless, by non-state actors earlier than they’ll bury their deceased is a novel improvement in a area that seems to continually excellent methods to self-destruct.
Issues mount as traumatisation of mourners by non-state actors spreadsTHESE rampaging gunmen, The Guardian investigation revealed, specialize in abducting family members of the lifeless after, which they demand a ransom earlier than their family members are allowed to be interred. In some instances, failure to yield to their calls for has led to the dying of kidnapped family members.
Some communities the place the abhorrent observe has already taken root embrace Azia, Lilu, Ihiala, Umuchu, Ajalli, and Umunze in Anambra State, in addition to Arondizuogu, Okigwe, Umulolo, and Izombe in Imo State.
Umeagbalasi, a criminologist, alleged that this criminality “is extra menacing in Imo State the place two-thirds of the state’s 27 LGAs are underneath siege, significantly Orsu, Orlu, Njaba, Oru East, Oru West, and so forth the place many individuals not bury their lifeless. Many households from these areas have resorted to organising funerals exterior their ancestral houses. Additionally, Anambra boundary communities round Ihiala, Nnewi South, and so forth together with Ihiala, Orsumoghu, Lilu, Osumenyi, and so forth, have joined their Imo counterparts in organising funerals for his or her lifeless family members. In Onitsha and environs the place I reside, I’ve witnessed at the very least 10 such funeral ceremonies between June and December 2024, together with two within the compound the place I reside.”
The Government Director of Daniel Ukwu Management Basis (DULF), Mr Dan Ukwu, whereas condemning the event, nevertheless, acknowledged that the non-state actors go so far as laying down different situations earlier than the lifeless are buried in some communities.
“These criminals don’t simply cease at providing you with a invoice to pay; they warning mourners towards enjoying music; towards firing cannons, and towards bringing uniformed safety officers round venues of funeral rites. I skilled it final 12 months through the burial of a good friend’s father in Umulolo, Okigwe. On this case, they didn’t kidnap anyone, slightly they negotiated with my good friend’s household. They got here on the eve of the burial, collected their cash amongst different issues, and left. We managed to bury his father, and I left the world the identical day,” he stated
Ukwu, who famous that the pattern was a brand new dimension within the safety challenges within the area, acknowledged that the boys had beforehand eliminated roofing sheets and different fittings in public buildings, which they bought within the guise of utilizing the cash to obtain weapons and bullets for his or her operations.
“That is apart from different levies that they impose on the folks on occasion. Amongst others, they declare to be in bushes defending the farmlands, in addition to declare to be liberators. Now, inform me concerning the sense in it that you just enter a facility and destroy what serves the wants of the folks and switch again to insist that you’re serving the folks. It’s unlucky,” he stated.
Requested whether or not the pattern may discourage folks from desirous to bury their lifeless in villages, he stated: “I actually don’t see it discouraging folks; slightly it should whittle down these actions related to burials in Igboland. What would occur is that individuals could be extra cautious when planning funerals for his or her family members in order that they gained’t be seen. Moreover, they might thoughts the kind of folks that they invite, in addition to the issues that they do. Expectedly, the pattern will enhance the price of burials.”
He nevertheless added that such improvement was not good for the economic system of the area as based on him, “burial actions have a manner of boosting companies the place it’s happening. However when folks can’t freely attend such burials, you aren’t more likely to get its affect on the economic system of a spot.”
Baring his thoughts on the difficulty, a college instructor, Dr Jeffery Ama, acknowledged that making calls for on households of the lifeless as a situation for burial is a unique approach to the criminality perpetrated by prison parts within the zone, stressing that it was one other of their survival methods.
“Prior to now, these criminals had been quartered in bushes and neighborhood forests, however now, they’re placing calls throughout to homeowners of handsome property in communities asking them to pay sure quantities as ransom or have their property razed down. Whereas some declare to be those defending the property, additionally they inform the property homeowners that no matter fee is made is supposed to assist them within the realisation of the Biafra Republic, in addition to, to cease herdsmen from invading farmlands within the South-East.
“Since you don’t need something to occur to your property or your family members within the village, you’re compelled by circumstances to accede to their calls for. Nevertheless, it more and more seems that most individuals are bored with the antics of those criminals, and are not able to adjust to their calls for, particularly when developments have proven that these are criminals parading as Biafra agitators. This, partly, explains why they’re devising new methods of imposing calls for on households or family members of the lifeless. The best way they now function would readily inform you that they’re criminals and nothing extra,” he acknowledged.
Ama, a senior lecturer within the Division of Public Administration at a personal college, acknowledged that due to what is occurring, elaborate burials not occur in some communities to keep away from clashes with the hoodlums.
“I do know that in a few of these communities that share boundaries with Anambra and Imo states, you can’t bury the lifeless with out settling these hoodlums’ calls for, and so they don’t care if you’re inconvenienced or not. All that they need is the cash,” he added.
Abduction of grieving family members for ransom is an abominable act, not agitation for BiafraTHE chief of the Motion for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Uchenna Madu, is furious that the actions of affected non-state actors, who go by numerous names weren’t in tandem with MASSOB’s aspirations, neither do they mirror the yearnings of Ndigbo.
“These gunmen declare to be preventing for the actualisation of Biafra whereas partaking in criminalities reminiscent of kidnapping for ransom, killings, maiming, and inflicting extra worry, havoc, and insecurity in Igbo land. It’s unacceptable and stays condemned. The muse of the present Biafra self-determination battle was laid on the ideas of non-violence. MASSOB and the coalition of pro-Biafra organisations nonetheless preserve and uphold it,” Madu acknowledged
On the implication of the brand new pattern in society, Madu acknowledged that southeasterners have gotten extra jittery and residing in worry, including that until one thing was achieved quick, “very quickly family members might not wish to deliver again their lifeless for burial within the villages for worry of being kidnapped or attacked. Nevertheless, placing extra burden on grieving family members in the middle of burial will entice curse.”
For the President of the Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders (COSEYL), Goodluck Ibem, developments of this nature have continued to gas the decision for the discharge of the detained chief of the Indigenous Individuals of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“It’s saddening that these gunmen at the moment are exploiting and extorting cash from grieving households by demanding fee earlier than they’ll bury their lifeless. This behaviour is depraved, and barbaric and ought to be condemned in any sane society. It’s an act of criminality weaved across the combat for Biafra simply as it’s of no essence to the battle for Biafra realisation.”
The Nationwide Coordinator of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, whereas condemning the event as “an abominable act,” added that “Ndigbo respect the lifeless. If folks indulge on this abomination, the apparent implication is that the gods will change into indignant and this may result in unusual issues taking place. Such unusual issues embrace sicknesses and deaths amongst others. Individuals today accomplish that many evil and despicable issues all within the identify of constructing wealth and changing into affluent and notoriously in style. Acts like these are sacrilegious in Igbo land, and are normally punished by these unusual happenings.”
He continued: “I’m not a spiritualist, however tales of unusual issues taking place when such ugly occasions happen abound in Igbo land through which case elders normally seek the advice of with the oracles to seek out out options to the illness. To resolve such anomalies, plenty of sacrifices are normally made to earth goddesses and different gods to appease them.”
The IPOB has, at numerous occasions dissociated its members from acts of criminality occurring within the area within the identify of Biafra, stressing that it’s not a violent group, and wouldn’t topic folks to pointless hardship.
Re-echoing this, its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Highly effective acknowledged that the IPOB is towards any type of criminality and shall collaborate the place vital with native safety outfits to drive away prison parts the identical manner it had pushed away killer herdsmen from Biafraland.
A businesswoman, Mrs Nkechi Ezema, who by no means understood the severity of extracting ransom from mourners till she skilled it first-hand stated: “I by no means knew that the scenario was that dangerous till certainly one of our in-laws died in Lilu Group, Ihiala Native Council. It was then that we began listening to that we should hold the burial as little as potential to keep away from something that might entice these boys to the place. It was a burial that my household was purported to attend and pay their final respect. However due to the fears that the actions of those boys have generated, we couldn’t attend the funeral as nobody was ready to be a part of an occasion the place his/her safety and security weren’t assured. So, we averted the burial and despatched in our assist to the household,” she acknowledged.
She stated that how these gun-wielding boys strip residents of their valuables was a sign that “all of the whereas, they weren’t preventing for the restoration of Biafra, however for his or her egocentric ends,” including: “You may see that they’ve intensified efforts at kidnapping for ransom once they realised that the folks have began dropping curiosity within the battle for Biafra republic.”
She continued: “In Igboland, we mourn our lifeless; we pay tributes to them as a mark of respect, however when the persons are not free to take action, it’s a very disturbing and disheartening improvement. We can’t proceed this fashion. These are hoodlums whose inventory in commerce is being uncovered day by day. So, safety businesses shouldn’t enable them to proceed to thrive on this illegality.”
Govts should transfer to curb criminality, finish bleeding of South-East’s economyLAST December, the Worldwide Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Regulation (InterSociety), in a 282-page report, titled: Ocean Of Harmless Blood Flowing In Jap Nigeria, catalogued a myriad of atrocities, together with maiming and killing orchestrated by each state and non-state actors within the area since August 2015.
It claimed that inside this era, “the Nigerian Safety Forces (NSFs) unlawfully killed 32,300 defenceless residents, kidnapped, tortured, and enforced the disappearance of 1000’s; burned down or razed 6,000 civilian houses valued at over N450 billion; raided 300 defenceless Igbo communities; sacked their 180,000 inhabitants; and frightened and compelled over a million others to flee their houses.
Whereas Umeagbalasi described state governments within the area as being “inactive and just about chasing shadows” so far as the safety of lives and property is anxious, he additional alleged that each armed state actors and armed non-state actors are culpable within the insecurity that’s tearing aside the as soon as peaceable area.
A safety guide, who spoke on the situation of anonymity, aligned with Umeagbalasi, sustaining that governors within the area haven’t achieved sufficient to guard lives and property.
“These particular person efforts by the governors can’t clear up insecurity within the area regardless that Enugu is making inroads with expertise. I additionally heard that residents will quickly begin paying safety levies amongst different issues. This stuff will be simpler whether it is being replicated in Anambra and Ebonyi states. It is because there isn’t a manner Enugu will be peaceable when Anambra State is boiling. Someway, you’ll expertise flashes of these disagreeable conditions as a lot because the states are usually not doing the identical factor.”
On non-state actors waylaying family members of the lifeless or imposing levies on them as a situation to bury their lifeless, the knowledgeable requested: “What number of police officers do now we have in our communities? There’s a main focus of safety personnel within the city areas, and this has made it potential for hoodlums to have interaction with the communities and go scot-free.
“Imposing fines on family members of the lifeless, kidnapping them, and holding them hostage till fee is made as a situation to bury their lifeless is criminality. It thrives as a result of there’s an absolute lack of confidence in authorities safety operatives. So, so as to not fall sufferer to the antics of those non-state actors, persons are ready to barter with them and pay to bury their lifeless. It’s a dangerous omen, however it’s thriving as a result of there’s a lack of confidence in our safety officers.
That however, the governments of Imo and Anambra states (the 2 states closely impacted by the menace) have continued to reply to safety threats by beefing up safety of their area. Solely not too long ago, the police in Imo State acknowledged that it arrested about 658 prison suspects and would do extra to make the state protected. Each the Imo and Anambra governments have additionally put in place a reward system for many who volunteer details about kidnappers and their actions.
In Anambra State, at a crowded occasion at Awka, not too long ago, Governor Charles Soludo, unveiled the Anambra Homeland Safety Regulation 2025, and launched a particular safety operation, code-named “Operation Udo Ga-Achi” in response to rising safety threats within the state.
With out denying information of mourners being stripped by prison parts, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Henry Okoye, acknowledged that the command “can solely act when such a report is delivered to its information. So, if there’s anybody with such a report, the particular person ought to come up and say so.”
On his half, the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, denied information of such happenings. “There isn’t a such report earlier than me,” he stated.
