*consider seeking Trump’s immediate intervention
By Chuks Collins, Awka
A desperate Save Our Soul (SOS) distress call has gone to the Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo again from the troubled Lilu community, in Ihiala Council of Anambra State.
Today’s call, according to a group under the aegis of the Concerned Youth Organization of Lilu, disclosed that the bougeorning insecurity, abductions and killing of the natives as well as unbriddled arson that have now literally become a daily occurence in parts of the community made the clarion call inevitable.
Speaking to journalists who braved to visit the community on a nerve wracking 5-day tour, the spokesperson for the Concerned Youth Organization of Lilu, who gave his name simply as Emeka(full names concealed for security reasons) noted that no effort would be spared to get the full attention of the State and Federal governments.
Flanked by some other young concerned natives in front of the remains of the St Andrew’s Anglican Church which bored glaring marks of the wanton carnage of the hoodlums attack of early last month, the youths urge Govt Soludo to declare a state of emergency(SOE) on insecurity in Lilu immediately.
The spokesperson insisted that it’s only the declaration of SOE in the area that would see to the flushing of the hoodlums and restoration of sanity in the area.
He called for decentralization of the “One Youth, 2 Skills” program of the State Government so as to benefit more participants. This, according to Emeka was because there were so many idle, jobless, uneducated and unskilled youth in and around the community. Emeka noted that “they feel timid, reluctant and ashamed to travel the long distance to Awka to inquire or register for any program no matter how beneficial”, Emeka added.
According to him, it won’t be surprising to petition the National Assembly, the United Nations, European Union, President Donald Trump, Ohaneze Ndigbo and ASATU “since it’s now very obvious that the Anambra State government has no interest in our predicament.
The youth body expressed frustration that a situation where nearly 70% of Lilu community, including Umuezeala, Eziorsu, Umuodochi, Uhualabor, and Enugwu-ezenduru villages amongst others.
More so, the spokesperson added, these hoodlums were less than 25 persons. They merely use guerilla tactics of jumping in and operating and in a flash second disappear back into the bushes of Lilu-Orsuihite-ukwa community of Imo State.
The Concerned Youth Organization believed that a sustained two hours engagement (which is presently lacking) against the hoodlums would rout and eliminate them. That after all Lilu is a very small community of less than seven kilometers in length and breadth.
Uhuala-abor village is where the latest victim, Mr Chinese Nwaka was kidnapped and hacked down in pieces with an axe in the presence of his aged parents in front of their gate.
Sadly the community is still taking inventory of the latest attack of the new year eve.
Reports indicated that because of absence of any resistance the boys have now preferred taking captive. Shocking also was their revelation that the only security group that makes impact remains the one recently established by the Lilu Youth through self help efforts. But the FOB led by the Nigerian army is located permanently at the premises of the Catholic Church alongside one Armoured Personel Carrier and two mounted gun trucks. Whereas the State government’s Udo Gachi used to stay in the premises of the St Andrew’s Anglican Church, suspected reason for the attack.
Unfortunately nearly one month after the protest march to Gov’s Soludo’s office where the Secretary to the State government, Chief Solo Chukwulobelu urged the to embark on prayers and two more attacks that cost lives and many abducted, no information has come from the governor.
Moreso they described the alleged statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Tochukwu Ikenga that investigation into the insurgency in Lilu as untrue. According to them, no one has ever visited the community in the past five years when the ugly situation began to investigate it.
