From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Otulu, a satellite town of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, is under siege. A gang of gunmen is said to be hibernating in the surrounding bushes from where they unleash terror on residents of the agrarian settlement.
Trouble reportedly started some years ago when efforts by some persons to declare autonomous status for the town was thwarted.
Since then, terror has been working on four legs in the town. The armed terror gang unleashes mayhem unhindered.
They kill, maim, rape, dispossess residents of their means of livelihood, intimidate, harass and curtail the liberty of the locals
In September 2021, the Okwuobani of the settlement (community leader), Anthony Enurah, was chased out of the town by the rampaging hoodlums.
Enurah spent 15 months in exile. And upon his return on January 31, 2023, the gunmen fired guns all night.
Fed up with the reign of terror, the community at the weekend protested ostensibly to draw the attention of the authorities to their plight.
But, at the protest, fear of the unknown was palpable as the people refused to speak out on their experiences in the hands of the gang. However, Enurah gave a moving speech, insisting that enough was enough of the nefarious activities.
He said: “You are keeping quiet because you don’t want to die, who is going to die for you? Remember that Pastor Caleb was thrown into the pit where they were pouring pepper on him; the same thing they did to the secretary of the community, Monye, a retired warrant officer of the army.
“They will come and flog you, they will invade the market and confiscate your goods. They have curtailed your movement, forcing to be indoors as early as 7pm. Why are you all afraid to speak what you have observed in Otulu?
“They came to my house after attacking the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku on September 17, 2021, with guns. I ran out of this town with my wife and a six months old baby, all because I want justice and progress of Otulu. I spent a year and three months outside the community.
“The first day I stepped back in Otulu was on January 29, 2023, and the boys brought coffin to block the road. If not for the help of politicians going for rally, I would not have been able to enter the town.
“Their security men came out and fired into the air before carrying the coffin inside their vehicle. As we speak now, the coffin is in Ogwashi-Uku police station.
“That is to tell you how dangerous the terrorists are. And when I came in again on the 31st of January at about 10, they came out of the bush and started shooting. They had wanted to kill me, they started firing at about 10.47pm and stopped at about 4am.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku said this intimidation must end in Otulu whether anybody likes it or not. Ogwashi-Uku owned Otulu community right from time immemorial.
“So, we are appealing to the authorities, we are saying enough is enough. We are not comfortable with the type of life we are living. We are pleading, they should come to our aid before something else happens here.”
On his part, the retired army officer, Monye, said the leader of the gang was a native of the town, noting that the gang meted inhuman treatment on residents.
“We can hardly go to farm. We cannot to go the stream to fetch water, we can’t sleep with both eyes closed because you don’t know who the next victim will be.
“We are not comfortable living in fear. We are suffering in this community. They accost you in the farm, manhandle you and forcefully collect your money. So, we are begging fhe Federal, state and local government to come to our aid,” Monye said.
In the same vein, Pastor Caleb Odiakose said residents were living in bondage and appealed to the authorities to rescue them from the trap of the terror gang.
In a save-our-soul message, spokesman for the community, Afam Uweagha, said the heinous activities of the gang started in 2016. He alleged that a lot of people have been buried alive for standing for justice.
Uweagha said, in a bid to fight against the criminals, the Inspector-General of Police, commissioner of police and even the DSS were petitioned but he lamented that the moves yielded no fruit, as the attacks continued unabated.
“As we speak, this community has been held hostage. The terror gang is hiding in the nearby bushes from where they plan to launch further attacks.
“That is why we are calling on the security agents and the state government to come to our aid and arrest the situation. We are now living in fear, the environment is insecure, they can strike anytime,” Uweagha said.