By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Nigerian Air Force conducts airstrikes on bandit hideouts, prompting fleeing residents in Anambra communities
Residents of Osumoghu community in Anambra’s Nnewi South Local Government Area are gripped by fear as Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes target bandit hideouts. The operation, aimed at quelling unrest, has sparked a mass exodus from the area. This follows NAF’s announcement of successful strikes on camps and armouries linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Anambra and Imo States.
Some residents, speaking to our correspondent, expressed apprehension about potential reprisal attacks from dislodged criminals. They reported a surge in people leaving their homes, seeking safety from the turmoil in the forested regions surrounding their communities.
According to NAF spokesperson Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the air strikes were a response to credible intelligence suggesting that IPOB-affiliated fighters were poised to unleash violence on residents. However, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, countered NAF’s assertions, stating that the group did not maintain any presence in the mentioned locations. Powerful accused the military of targeting innocent civilians residing in these communities.
During a visit to Osumoghu community, our correspondent observed palpable tension, with major roads sparsely populated and many shops and markets remaining closed. Nnanna Offor, an octogenarian from the area, lamented the exodus, emphasizing the relentless nature of the hoodlums. “They do not even care who their brothers are,” he remarked, highlighting the prevailing atmosphere of fear and caution.
Madam Esther Nkwo, a retired teacher and community member, echoed Offor’s sentiments, emphasizing the impact on the youth population. She expressed concern that security operations, associating youths with IPOB, had led to their apprehension and subsequent disappearance.
Efforts to elicit a response from the Transitional Chairman of Nnewi South LGA were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone went unanswered. However, a council secretariat official, Chidiebere Nwosu, sought to reassure residents, affirming that the airstrikes were specifically targeted at restoring peace by tackling the disruptive elements in the community.