ESN Operatives Arrested In Orlu Will Be Treated As Murderers — Imo Govt

Governor Hope Uzodinma-led government has vowed to arraign suspected operatives of the Eastern Security Network arrested in the Orlu-Orsu area of the state for murder.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Cyprian Akaolisa, stated this while speaking with newsmen on Friday.

Akaolisa in his statement described the security outfit as hoodlums, he added that they will be treated as murderers by the state government.

“The Imo State government invited the military to flush out the hoodlums who call themselves ESN in Orlu,” he said.

The AG added that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is endangering the lives of the people of the state by the activities of ESN in the Orlu area.

Akaolisa noted that ESN personnel took advantage of the #EndSARS protest last year to carry out its operations.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari administration for deploying troops in the area to secure the inhabitants.

Akaolisa also accused the lawmaker representing Imo West in the Senate, Rochas Okorocha, of allegedly playing politics with the crisis.

Recall that Kanu launched the security outfit on December 12, 2020, saying ESN, just like Amotekun in the South-West, would help to tackle crimes and criminalities.

Kanu also noted that ESN would evict criminal Fulani herdsmen involved in the killing, raping, and kidnapping of people in the region.

A few weeks ago, there was a clash between men of ESN and soldiers, which resulted in the deaths of some people.

About four soldiers reportedly died during the clash along with five civilians, including a middle-aged woman, said to have been killed in the crossfire.

The affected soldiers were said to have been drawn from the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze.

Kanu later urged members of the ESN to observe a cease-fire and return to the forests.