Residents of the Agwa Community in Imo State’s Oguta Local Government Area have urged President Bola Tinubu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and state Governor Sen. Hope Uzodimma to put an end to the ongoing killings of their family by suspected bandits and herders.
People under the auspices of Agwa Central Union, ACU, led by Barr. Benson Akunya, made the appeal in a position letter presented to the state Police Commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, who had convened a security meeting with area stakeholders to address and propose solutions to recent security concerns.
Barr. Akunya, represented by Comr. Johnbosco Obodo, spoke on behalf of the people, stating that the community requests that the violent attacks stop.
He said, “We are afraid that if there are no urgent actions taken by the government to prevent future occurrences of this evil from herdsmen, Agwa youths may resort to self-defence.
“Agwa is bleeding. Our land, once known for peace, community, and resilience, has become a valley of shadows, soaked in the tears of mothers, the cries of children, and the silence of those whose lives were cut short by yet another unprovoked attack.
“On the 4th of June, 2025, the very soul of our people was pierced when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded our community and brutally murdered innocent sons and daughters of Agwa. Many sustained various degrees of injury from guns, and others were kidnapped. This carnage is not an isolated case but one of many attacks that have gone unpunished, unchallenged, and unaddressed, including the shooting of a pregnant woman in her house.
“Agwa people demand justice and compensation of ₦1,000,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira) for the victims of the attacks. We know that no amount of money can replace lives lost; however, we believe that this little compensation will go a long way in mitigating the sorrow of the bereaved families and Agwa people at large.
“We demand the immediate establishment of a joint security task force stationed along the Ejemekwuru-Agwa road to guard against further bloodshed and contain the movement and operations of criminal elements in our clan. Our people deserve to live without fear. We deserve protection by the government.
“This is not just a position paper. It is a cry for justice. It is the collective voice of a wounded people who have watched their loved ones buried without answers, who have endured pain without protection, and who now resolve to say, “Enough is enough.”
Responding, police commissioner Aboki Danjuma pledged to forward their complaints to the proper authorities but advised them to continue collaborating with security services by giving credible information that will help them address security challenges in their region.
“I charge you, the leaders of Oguta communities, to look inward and do the needful. Because until you decide to expose the bad eggs among you, our efforts to restore peace and tackle security challenges in Oguta communities may not achieve tangible results,” Danjuma said.