By Segun Fabiya
A man from Orlu community in Imo State, Njioyi Kingsley Chukwuemeka, has raised the alarm over threats to his life by a separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), using its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Chukwuemeka, who has now gone into hiding, related his ordeal to our correspondent through a telephone chat.
He said that in year 2000, he was persuaded to join the IPOB upon the persuasion that it was meant to foster unity among the Igbo ethnic stock in Nigeria.
In virtually no time, however, he realised that the group was meant for other sinister motives, especially going g by the setting up of theESN, a militant arm of it, which he considered violent and vicious.
“I decided to pull out of the group because I cannot be Party to taking arms against the Nigerian government
“Then, I cannot to shed huge an blood as the group through its militant arm had become blood-thirsty.
“I also feel betrayed because these things were not what I told IPB would be out to achieve, do I decided to opt out,” he explained.
He said following his decision to quit, he was seen as an enemy of the IPOB, more so as he was a senior person in the group.
He further related, in an emotion-laden voice, how on April 17 2022, the IPOB, in revenge, instigated the the ESN to invade Orlu, his hometown, to hunt him down.
“But thank God, I managed to escape during the attack; they, however, destroyed many homes, churches and other public utilities, apart from maiming scores of residents,” he recalled.
He particularly lamented that during the invasion, his father, mother and only brother were killed by the blood-thirsty invaders.
Chukwuemeka bemoaned that had riot policemen not eventually intervened, his Orlu community would have become history, adding that he is currently in hiding to keep alive.