Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The recent bloody attack on security operatives manning checkpoints along Omagwa-Isiokp-Elele-Owerri Road has caused fear among regular travellers of that route.
Some of the travellers who spoke to TPCN yesterday at Rumuokoro expressed concern over the safety of the route, with the resurgent attack by hoodlums.
A female traveller, Nneoma, who said she was going to Owerri for a burial yesterday, told TPCN: “I wanted to travel to Owerri yesterday but because of the attack on that road, I cancelled the journey. It’s now that I want to do the travel. I believe that things have normalised. My life is very important to me. I don’t want to have a problem on the way. Even if I don’t meet up with the burial, I don’t mind but let me be safe first.”
On what she thinks should be done to ensure safety on the Port Harcourt- Owerri route, Grace said: “They should beef up security on the road, bring more police and army but not those that will be collecting money and causing hold-up on the road o. They should bring those that will concentrate on their work and government should equip them well and double their salaries.”
A young man who said he was travelling to Omerelu to see his mother told TPCN that attacks on the route have been a recurrent decimal. He said:”My name is Uche and am from Omerelu. As you see me now, I want to travel to my village to see my mother. I heard of the killing of some policemen at one of the checkpoints. It’s not the first time we’re hearing of such an attack. Gunmen are fond of carrying out attacks along that route, especially at the Elele axis. Sometimes they attack passengers and rob them. Sometimes they kidnap people. Now they have killed security officers. The government should do something about this fast to make that route safe.”
TPCN learnt that because of the attack, residents of the Ikwerre communities along the route are now worried over the fear of reprisal attack or mass arrest be by security operatives, especially with Governor Nyesom Wike’s directive that they should fish out the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice.
In a press statement by his media assistant, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike expressed his condolences to the families of the security operatives killed in the attack.
He said: “There is no justification for such a heinous and condemnable attack targeted against innocent security personnel on the legitimate duty of protecting life and property in the state.
“The Government of Rivers State is saddened by the unwarranted callous attack on security personnel. We offer our sympathies to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack.
“We condemn this heinous act, share the grief of the security agencies and convey our sincere condolences.”
