March 22, (THEWILL) — The Chairman of Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, Hon. Friday Ibekaeme, has lamented the wanton destruction of properties, which also led to the death of many innocent citizens, saying that it remains a period that will not be forgotten easily, saying that more than ₦1 billion would be required to begin the rehabilitation process.
Speaking with THEWILL, the chairman disclosed that he had not witnessed such large-scale brigandage in the history of Imo State, adding that the rebuilding process would be daunting.
Ibekaeme maintained that what he saw and went through during the period of insecurity cannot be wished away, crying that young men and women had their lives cut short by the irresponsible charlatans who turned Orsu into rubble.
“Orsu Local government was taken back to 50 years, so I don’t think you can quantify what it will take to rebuild. Look, every community was affected. Take, for instance, the fact that there is no community in Orsu without a transformer, poles, and electrical wires, yet these boys will simply bring down the poles, pieces them, and extract the rods to make their IEDs.
“Once they see any pillar or something that has a rod, they will make sure to destroy it to extract the rods. My own house was burnt on 13th September 2021, and the same day, my Personal Assistant was killed in cold blood. His father’s house was burnt and his body thrown into the burning house.
“So you cannot monetise what happened in Orsu. What I can only say is that wherever the money will come from, whether from the Local Government, the state government or the federal government, we will be utilising it as the money comes.
“There was one popular market called Eke Ututu that was raised to the ground. Rebuilding that market alone will cost in the neighbourhood of ₦300 million. So the items destroyed in Orsu, for instance, in the area of the transformer, as an engineer, I know that one good Turkish transformer will cost nothing less than ₦18 million, and there is no community without one or two.
“Primary and Secondary schools were burnt, and government buildings were all destroyed. So one cannot quantify or say this is the amount. But if they give us ₦1 billion, we can start something; it will go a long way in making Orsu come back to what it used to be.”
Investigations by THEWILL revealed that several buildings were razed to the ground in communities, such as Ihitte-Aforukwu, Amaebu. The Local Government was not spared. The unknown gunmen overran the entire council, and almost every fitting within the council were carted away.
The churches were not spared; government structures, including the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were razed, transformers were totally dismantled, several electric poles were brought down, vehicles were set on fire, houses were broken into, and the unknown gunmen carted away valuables.
Through the instrumentality of the Governor Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, a semblance of peace is gradually returning to the area. However, the majority of the people are still living in palpable fear, especially in those areas bordering neighbouring states.
Investigations by THEWILL revealed that the military and vigilante group are still combing the areas to ‘fish out’ the remaining unknown gunmen lurking within the communities. Still, the people praise the efforts of the military that staked their lives to ensure that peace returns to Orsu.
“For now, Orsu is a work in progress. Some community members have started returning one by one, but the rebuilding process will not be completed soon, as the carnage is better imagined than described.”
