Relative peace has returned to Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State after the Nigerian military carried out a special operation to flush out criminal elements disturbing the peace of communities.
Before the military operation that crushed the rogue group suspected to be members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, Amangwu Ohafia community was their key operational base.
The elite investigative team of News Band Newspaper in an exclusive report in 2022, had revealed that the gunmen took over the sole administration of the little community (Amangwu Ohafia) with the creation of a mini-military barracks where villagers who questioned the legitimacy of their authority were tortured and even killed.
Though, when News Band started investigating the activities of the armed gang in 2022, it was a very hard task. It was difficult to infiltrate the rank and file of the group through covert operation. Through out the period of the investigation, shocking revelations were also made by this medium.
News Band discovered that the ragtag gunmen were drawn from different states across the Southeast and South South region. While their weapons according to security intelligence were gotten from Ebonyi and Calabar notorious arms smugglers.
Formerly, the group was operating from a remote bush in the community but as their influence expanded, they relocated to their mini military barracks inside the community through the help of a rogue traditional ruler addressed as Eze Ogoh.
The military barracks where daily activities of the rogue group were plotted was located in a place called Ndi–Okwara compound under the leadership of a self-styled commander known as George Ulor aka, Uchechi.
The group also extended their sphere of authority to Okon, Amuma, Ndibe and Asaga communities in Ohafia Local Government Area of the State.
The armed group which touted to be fighting for the restoration of defunct Biafra Republic, was behind the attack launched at the home of Barrister Olugu Kalu Ugba, an ally of governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2021. His mansion and exotic cars were set ablaze by the separatist gang who falsely accused him of mounting surveillance cameras to monitor their activities.
They were also behind the unrest which resulted to the brutal killing of a widow and her two grown up daughters in 2022. According to a community source, the gunmen targeted the widow and her daughters after they were accused of fraternizing with Nigerian soldiers who were drafted to the community to restore normalcy during the attack at Barrister Olugu Kalu Ugba’s residence.
When military operatives were stationed in the community so as to ensure the safety of the people, this same gunmen went behind and instigated a protest, calling for the military to leave as their presence was directly stagnating their criminal activities.
However, angered by the evil brought in the community by the gunmen, concerned stakeholders in September 2022 called for fierce military action against the criminal elements.
The call finally warranted the military top brass from 14 Brigade to launch vicious operation in the affected villages.
During the operation, some of the gunmen were taken out, their weapons confiscated. Also the home of their ring leader, Uchechi was burnt down.
A source from the community while speaking with News Band Newspaper said that Uchechi escaped during the military raid to Ebonyi State.
“I can confirm to you that Uchechi escaped to Ebonyi State when the army came. Currently, nobody knows where he is hiding in Ebonyi”.
It further disclosed that since the operation by the military, peace has returned to Ohafia and businesses have started moving again.
The source said, “Since the military launched operation against the gunmen, things have return to normal. We can do our business in peace without fear of being attack
Currently, military authorities have stationed it’s personnel in Amangwu Ohafia community to forestall the possibility of the gunmen regrouping.
