The Odinma Orsu Initiative (OOI) has urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede, to deploy bomb experts in Orsu Ihiteukwa and Awo Idenmili in Imo State to clear land mines that have claimed the lives of servicemen and innocent civilians.

At a news conference in Lagos, the group sought the intervention of the Army chief to address the security crisis in Orsu Local Government Area.

The Chairman of OOI, Chief Chukwudi Okparaku, decried the lingering insecurity in Orsu, stating that for over four years, the area had been a hub of terrorism, resulting in the deaths of more than 5,000 people, including aged men, women, and children.

He attributed the crisis to the activities of criminal elements claiming allegiance to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Okparaku traced the roots of the crisis to 2021, following the arrival of one IPOB/ESN kingpin, who he claimed established a base in the Udeke Valley, which is 5,000 feet below sea level and located at Orsu Ihiteukwa.

He explained that the area was used as a base for attacks on Orsu and nearby communities.

According to him, after security raids, including a major operation in March last year that destroyed their headquarters, some of the criminals remained active, planting land mines and carrying out other dangerous activities.

“These land mines, buried by the criminals, have turned Orsu Ihiteukwa and Awo Idenmili into death zones.

“We are appealing to the Chief of Army Staff to assist us by deploying bomb experts to remove these explosives and save lives,” he said.

The group highlighted the extensive destruction caused by the crisis, including the loss of public infrastructure, disbandment of local vigilance members, and the collapse of village administrations.

The group urged sustained military operations to permanently secure the Udeke Valley and other vulnerable areas.

It also called for the provision of arms for local vigilance groups, surveillance equipment, and the rebuilding of critical infrastructure such as schools, clinics, and police stations.

Okparaku called for enhanced collaboration between Imo and Anambra States to address the movement of criminals across their borders.

The group expressed gratitude to security agencies, including the DSS, Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, for their efforts so far. (The Nation)