Cult members allegedly kill scores, including pregnant woman, husband, in Imo oil- reach community, over distribution of resources

TENTION has been enveloping in Assah community of Ohaji/Egbema Local Council, in Imo State, following the alleged killing of about 10 persons in the area in the last five days, by persons suspected to be cult members.
As at Friday morning, The Guardian gathered that  many villagers have deserted their ancestral homes running to

safer communities for their dear lives. Others, including aged, locked themselves in their homes for safety. On Monday morning, a young man, Vitalis Uwalaka, was shot dead as he was about returning to his business base in Owerri, capital city of the state, by unknown assailants. The victim's brother, Kingsley, who confirmed to The Guardian, said every body there has been living in fear. The Guardian gathered that there were aggrieved persons who felt that they were not given the funds distributed to the community from the oil companies operating in the area. They preferred to launch attack against those they either felt benefitting, supporting or keeping mum. He also confirmed that about 10 persons had been killed as at Friday, August 19, regretting that there were allegedly, absence of required security presence in the community, which gave the hoodlums leaway to operate. Also, a taxi driver, had his head beheaded, while a hair saloonist, a commercial motor cyclist and a pregnant were among those shot dead. He said: " This thing started in March. In the last one week, nine people have been killed. My brother was also killed. A pregnant woman selling fish and her husband who was commercial okada (motorcyclist) were killed. There is no body going to market, school and church. My brother who was killed, had his machine carried away." 

The community members who spoke with The Guardian, on Friday, said the problem was no presence of the security and alleged inability for the state government to provide enough security operatives in the area.

Reacting, the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Public Utilities, Dr. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, denied the allegation, stating that a week ago, he was in company of the state's deputy governor, Eze Madumere, in visiting the area, urging the aggrieved persons to give prompt information to the police and other security operatives.

He said the state government had been given necessary encouragement to the security operatives to carry out such duties.

Efforts to reach the state police command's Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), before filing this report could not yield results, as he could not pick his call.