Nigerians lament on social media: Imo turning to another Borno

Nigerians on social media have lamented the persistent attacks by gunmen in Imo State, with many expressing fears that the South-East state was fast turning to another Borno State.

Borno State, with Maiduguri as capital city, is located in Nigeria’s North-East. The state rose to inglorious fame when Mohammed Yusuf, founder of militant Islamist group Boko Haram, was killed in 2009. Yusuf’s death birthed a macabre era of unprecedented uprising; carnage, bombings, kidnappings, amongst other crimes against humanity, even till date.

Millions of aboriginal Borno residents have also been displaced by the activities of the insurgents as military forces battle to clear the terrorists out of the entire North-East.

Unlike Borno in faraway North-East, Imo State located in the South-East geopolitical zone of the country has enjoyed relative peace until lately when daring gunmen started wreaking havoc in the state.

The gunmen particularly target police formations in their attacks. For instance, in what could be described as unmatched, gunmen on Monday attacked the Owerri Correctional Prison and freed over 1800 inmates. The attackers also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters.

The hoodlums further freed the suspects in the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command and made an attempt to loot the police armoury in the state.

The PUNCH gathered that the gunmen operated from 1am till 3am on Monday and sang solidarity songs at the Government House Roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities.

The police have since accused members of the Eastern Security Network, the security arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, of been the masterminds of the attacks but the secessionist agitators led by Nnamdi Kanu have since denied the allegation.

But just barely 24 hours after the attacks, gunmen on Tuesday razed the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area Divisional Police Headquarters also in Imo. The brazen gunmen launched the attack despite the presence of the then Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in Owerri. Adamu had visited the state to assess the level of damage done by Monday attacks and to charge the cops to be ruthless before he was sacked. Punch