Military now defends bandits against sieged communities

• As kinappers take over Enugu Port Harcourt expressway

Men in military gear yesterday allegedly came in defense of armed bandits and herdsmen against host communities in Abia State, amplifying a worrying development in the worsening insecurity that that thrive in kidnap ransoms.

The military personnel, mainly of the army, have joined in the raid of sparsely populated and isolated communities stringing the boundary areas between Abia North and Enugu South areas, leveraging the distance of the communities from capital cities and their loss of view from seats of government.

The military raids, our correspondents gathered normally come after Fulani herders have conmducted mass kidnapping of local people for ransom; thus stalling arrangements by the local youths from mobilizing search and rescue efforts.

Our findings show that most of the military personnel deployed at the innumerable check points in the areasare of the same ethinc extraction with the bandits who also use military calibre ammunition in their attacks on the communities.

Local community state that some of the bandits have been sighted in military camouflage uniforms while taking hostages at gun point.

Our reporters on ground gathered that the military raid on the communities along the axis come with intense aggression like the incident of yesterday which spilled in the Enugu-Port Harcourt express way and forced commuters to several hours of horrified traffic impasse as gunshots rent the air.

The incident which happened between 6.30 pm and 8.00 pm close to a military check point along the notorious Leru and Ihube axis of the road lingered into the night with heavy military personnel stationed on duty at various points on the road.

Road users who alerted our correspondents on the development had stated that that such incidents now happen every day in the area, adding that the bandits sometimes strike twice in a day on the same spot after which the military would arrive to stall pursuit of the criminals by local youths.

It would be recalled that the Prelate of the Methodist Church, His Eminence Dr SKC Uche; and a lecturer at the Spiritan University, Ummunneochi, were abducted in the same area by the ransom seeking bandits who confess to be Fulani. The kidnappers have regularly passed messages through their victims concerning their intention to purchase enough weapons with ransom money and later sack communities close to the Lokpanta cattle market.

Despite pledges by the Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, and the subsequent setting up of a security committee by the state government, daily abduction of local people and commuters along the roads connecting towns and villages have worsened.

The situation has left the villagers with no option than to scale down commercial activities and farming for fear of abduction. The siege has also posted a threatening outlook of hunger and poverty on the people who are now subjected to daily contributions in raising daily ransom money for the Fulani assailants to free relations.

A businessman who deals on cash crops in Leru community told our correspondent that the kidnappers are succeeding in wearing down the communities with regular abductions, adding that visitors and traders now dread coming to the area to do business. He added that farmers in the surrounding towns and villages have remained idle since 2021 when the kidnappings intensified.

“With no money in anybody’s pocket and no crop in the farm, how do we survive?” he asks in despair.   

The Umunneochi local government council had penultimate week raided shanty structures near the Lokpanta cattle market where the kidnappers are believed to hold sway. But the destruction of shanty brothels, hotels and other narcotic hubs in the area has not impacted kidnapping operations.

“These bandits are everywhere and they stay mainly in the bushes. When they came with their cattle and motorcycles they took time to know the terrains and all foot tracks, pretending to be herdsmen and okada riders. Now they have dropped the motorcycles and picked up guns; and we have no hiding place anymore,” our source narrated.

He also said that calls on police or the army against Fulani bandits and herdsmen are worthless; saying that the military personnel at check points in the area already know what is going on daily basis but have refused to respond to distress calls.

“We have been in this tragedy since 2019. The soldiers and mobile policemen only mount road blocks to collect money from motorists. They have never responded to kidnappings near them. Never!”

It would be recalled that Prelate Uche, who N100 million ransom to regain freedom from the kidnappers, revealed that he and other victims were kept hostage in full view of the soldiers stationed at a checkpoint at Lomara junction in Isuochi.

The lecturer also revealed that ransom negotiators had met and sought the advice of the soldiers at the same checkpoint before proceeding to deliver the cash to designated hands in the community.

The allusions to the complicity of the security agencies explain the helplessness of the communities who are also under constant harassment and intimidation by the uniformed men.

Yesterday’s clashes which halted traffic flow on both lanes of the dual carriage expressway explains the confusion in the area as the bandits are said to have operated with military and police vans. 

Eye witnesses said it was difficult to explain who the soldiers were fighting as the kidnappers had finished operating hours before the military arrived with counter-offensive.

Vehicles belonging to local vigilante groups were said to have been set ablaze, a situation that was said to have worsened the security tension in the area.