Ugorji decries Awo-Omamma massacre
Former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, has refuted viral video information where he was accused of being aware of killings going on in Orlu area of the state.
Just as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Lucius Ugorji, has described as abominable act, the killing of about 14 youths in Awo – Omamma by some suspected Imo security vigilante, also known as Ebubeagu.
Though, the Department of State Services (DSS) has claimed responsibility, positions of the duo were made known in separate statements made available to the media at the weekend.
Udenwa, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Emeka Omehie, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a trending online channel, ‘Biafra Television Unite,’ which bandied grave and inciting allegations against the former governor of Imo with regard to the killing of youths in the state.
“The video, which was reacting to what it called the ‘killing of 14 youths by Ebubeagu in Awo-Ommama’ attempted to associate Udenwa with activities of Ebubeagu security outfit and killing of youths in Orlu and its environs in the state.”
Udenwa insisted that the position of government is clear on the issue, wondering why his was fingered. He further said: “In view of information in the public domain, including the statement by the state government indicating the security agency responsible for the Awo-Omamma killings, a response would have been needless. But because of the attempt by the authors to mislead and incite the public, we wish to state:
“Udenwa has practically nothing to do with either Ebubeagu or any other security outfit that goes by whatever name involved in the killings in Imo. Neither does he have anything to do with the Awo-Omamma killings.”
Meanwhile, the statement by Ugorji reads: “The gruesome murder of some youths at Awo-Omama in Imo, few days ago, has caused public outrage. Since the incident, there have been narratives about who carried out the dastardly and abominable act, and why. While some members of the public blame government and her security outfit, Ebubeagu, the DSS, on the other hand, has confirmed that its operatives carried out an operation in a camp where those its described as ‘bandits’ were killed, as a means of ensuring public security.”
According to the cleric, the stand of the church was to condemn, in entirety, the mindless and senseless blood-letting, stressing: “Our aim is not to delve into this web of contradictory narratives, but to condemn this mindless blood-letting, and similar killings, which have bedeviled Igbo society, especially Imo in recent times.”