Between September 17th and 19th 2023, the community of Ehime Mbano in the Oru East/Akuma region of Imo State was engulfed in violent unrest following a military and police operation that residents say targeted civilians under allegations of supporting separatist movements.
Eyewitnesses report that heavily armed personnel from the Nigerian military and police forcefully entered the community, resulting in the alleged beating of civilians, killed innocent citizens, including women and children. Several homes were reportedly set ablaze during the incursion, leaving families displaced and terrified.
The Nigerian government has reportedly accused the community of harbouring members or sympathizers of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a banned separatist group pushing for the independence of Biafra. Authorities suspect that individuals in the area may be aiding IPOB’s members who kept advocating to separate the country, while their leader Nnamdi Kanu, who remains in government custody.
In a retaliatory incident that occurred shortly after the destruction of homes, killing innocent people, unknown gunmen allegedly ambushed and killed five police officers in the same area. The attackers have yet to be identified, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Following the attack, security operatives allegedly began rounding up individuals believed to be connected to families suspected of sympathizing with the separatist cause. Among those named are the families of Obinna, Chukwuma, Okafor, Ejemba and Okonkwo. These families have reportedly fled the area, fearing for their lives. The Nigeria Police are desperately searching for this families all over the locals, states and the entire country Nigeria.
Human rights advocates have raised concerns over the escalating military actions in southeastern Nigeria, warning that the government’s response risks further alienating local communities and violating constitutional protections, including the right to free expression and protection from arbitrary arrest.
Critics have described the federal government’s approach as increasingly authoritarian, accusing it of weaponizing security agencies to stifle dissent and crush political opposition. “It is becoming an offense in Nigeria to speak freely,” said one displaced resident who asked not to be named for safety reasons. “We are no longer living in a democracy.”
As of now, the federal government has not issued a formal statement addressing the specific events in Ehime Mbano. Human rights organizations have called for an independent investigation into the incident, including allegations of abuse by security forces, killing innocent people and the burning of civilian property.
