Some victims of Friday’s raid by security operatives on illegal oil bunkerers at Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo have decried the attack as “unwarranted’’.
Those, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in separate interviews, said they incurred great losses in the raid.
Two security operatives and a resident were feared killed in the raid while more than 70 houses were razed following a squabble between youths who were collecting tolls from illegal oil bunkerers in the community.
A NAN correspondent who visited the area on Sunday reports that some victims were seen standing helplessly in their buildings destroyed beyond repair.
Speaking on the incident, the traditional ruler of Aborsi-Izombe, Eze Pius Muforo, said government should thoroughly investigate the main cause of the incident.
“I gathered that one youth and two security operatives were killed.
“It was very condemnable that human lives were lost in the incident and I sincerely sympathise with the families of the deceased,’’ he said.
According to him, contrary to reports, his house was spared, but his subjects’ houses were badly affected.
The traditional ruler lamented that more than 70 houses, 15 vehicles and 25 motorcycles were razed just as crops were destroyed.
“This community has been a peaceful community. We don’t deserve the punishment meted to us. The victims never took part in illegal oil bunkering business,’’ the traditional ruler said.
He also expressed concern over increasing illegal oil bunkering in the area and urged the government to find urgent ways of stopping the activity in the area.
He also appealed to the government to find ways to meaningfully engage the teeming youths in the area to deter them from nefarious activity.
A victim, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Onyeukwu, who described the incident as a “tragedy’’ and a “big loss’’, said the community had never experienced such an attack.
“It was like a war situation. They came here with about 30 Toyota Hilux vans and three war tanks. I hid in the bush watching from a distance how they destroyed our buildings.
“We lost everything including clothes, phones, electrical appliances and money.
“My cousin lost more than N500,000 cash while his wife also lost some money belonging to a church group to which she belongs.
“I am not part of the illegal bunkering business going on in the area, but I am surprised that the problem caused by few individuals affected me and virtually everyone in the village,’’ he said.
Onyeukwu urged Imo’s Gov. Hope Uzodimma to visit the area to ascertain the level of damage caused and assist the victims.
