EZEAGU, ENUGU — The Akwuke-Umudim village in Imezi Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been thrown into mourning and chaos following a Thursday evening raid by men of the Nigerian Army that left over 10 houses in ruins.
Heartbreaking videos circulating online on Friday show distraught residents, mostly women and children, wailing amidst the smoldering remains of their homes. According to community sources, the soldiers, suspected to be from the 82 Division in Enugu, arrived without warning, forcing the men of the village to flee into nearby forests.
“We Thought They Were Herdsmen”
Oliver Ezeani, a resident of the community, recounted the terror of the invasion. “At first, we thought we were being attacked by herdsmen until we realized they were Nigerian soldiers—the people we expected to protect us,” he said.
Eyewitnesses further alleged that a sick, elderly woman was nearly trapped in one of the burning structures as fire, reportedly set by the troops, gutted seven different compounds. The total destruction has left dozens of families homeless and traumatized.
The Army’s Defense: “IEDs Caused the Fire”
Responding to the outcry, the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Ayeni, denied that troops intentionally set fire to the village.
In a statement, the military explained that troops from Sector 1, Operation UDO KA, were on an intelligence-led mission to apprehend suspected collaborators of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The Army claimed that upon reaching a suspected hideout, they were met with heavy gunfire. According to the military, the resulting fire was triggered by the accidental detonation of stored Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) inside the building during the exchange of fire.
Rising Outcry Over Human Rights
The incident has sparked a firestorm of criticism on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the military’s rules of engagement in civilian areas. Civil rights groups have condemned the “scorched-earth” tactics, particularly at a time when the Nigerian Army has publicly lamented the low turnout of South-East youths for military recruitment.
“How can you burn the homes of the very people you want to recruit?” asked one activist on X (formerly Twitter). “These actions only deepen the trust deficit between the people and the state.”
As of Saturday morning, the Enugu State Government has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, while the 82 Division maintains that it will investigate any proven cases of professional misconduct.
