Emerging report indicates that gunmen killed 8 more Northerners, and injured 6 others, in a fresh attack in Imo State, last week,
It was further learnt that the Northerners are now living in fear in some parts of the State, an incident that has forced many of them to return to the North.
A Northerner doing business in the State, Alhaji Iliyasu Sulaiman, told BBC Hausa that his younger brother was shot dead, and that 3 other Northerners were injured in Orlu town.
His words: “We buried eight people, and six others are receiving treatment in the hospital.
“We do not know the cause, as we did not engage in any fight with anybody, but they are killing our people anyhow. My younger brother was just sitting with his three friends, and they shot at them, killed him, and injured the other three.
“So far, I know about 60 people that went back to Sokoto, more than 20 others also from Kano and Katsina States have gone back, and some are preparing to go too.”
Alhaji Sani Ahmad Mai Rago stated that the deployment of Security Personnel to the Hausa community in Owerri, the Imo State capital, is not enough, as only 30 percent of them were secured in the area.
He maintained that there is a need to provide more security, as many Northerners were killed while doing their businesses, adding also that some of them are now living indoors, because of fear of the gunmen.
“There is a need to provide adequate security everywhere, if really they want to address the problem. Honestly speaking, we are living in fear. As I am talking to you now, I did not go anywhere today”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Governor of the State, Hope Uzodinma, has assured the Northern Community in the State, of the government’s determination to protect them and their property.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Gender and Vulnerable Persons (men), and the Garkuwan Hausa (shield of Hausa Community), Imo State, Hon. Sulaiman Ibrahim Sulaiman, described as untrue, the reports that Northerners are leaving the State.
He described Imo State as the safest place for them to live.
The Governor, who also debunked the rumour that the Northern Community in Imo State are leaving in droves, said that they have no need to leave, adding that, they are part and parcel of Imo State.
Governor Uzodinma, therefore, promised to enhance the security in all the places they reside in Imo State.
