Women of the Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state have protested the alleged abduction of their husbands and the killing of their sons by a militant group in the area.

They accused the group of daily invasion and attacked them in the various camps they were taking refuge in, calling for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s intervention.

The protesters carried placards with varying inscriptions like, “Stop attacking us with naval personnel”, “Gov. Soludo come to our rescue” and “Release our abducted husbands, stop killing our sons, enough of this destruction of lives and property, among others.

Speaking during the protest, Mrs. Augustina Ejiofor, whose husband was abducted, said the group had declared their opposition wanted, alleging that their members were on the payroll of a missing monarch, Igwe Oliver Nnaji.

She said: “My husband, Sunday Ejiofor, was abducted by Pillar youths when we went to sympathize with a relation that was bitten by a snake. My husband’s brother was also arrested by the same youths and is now at Awkuzu SARS. They didn’t commit any offence.

“The problem in the community is lgweship/oil revenue derivation. Our monarch, Igwe Okwudili Ogali is now in detention, they started to attack him when he was installed as our monarch.

“They accused him of being responsible for the disappearance of one Oliver Nnaji who claimed to be our monarch by imposing on us himself as the igwe to collect oil money.

“Oliver calls us amusu, (witchcrafts), for opposing him and always sends his pillar youths to abduct us and declare us wanted, in collaboration with the Navy, police and Ebube Agu security outfit.

“We plead for the release of our abducted husbands and for them to stop killing our sons and destroying our property, we ran to camps where we have stayed for about three years without help and they come and abduct us there daily.

“Their people in Diaspora supply them with weapons and money to attack our boys who also fight them. Our boys are the Lion Squad.”

On her part, Mrs. Ebele Ogana wife to the rival traditional ruler of the community now in detention, Igwe Okwudili Ogali, said the attack on her husband started after his installation.

“Government should come to our rescue because the intimidation by Pillar Boys is much. We don’t know anything about the whereabouts of the so-called Igwe Oliver.

“I urge Governor Soludo to prevail on the Pillar Youths to release the husbands of those women and stop attacking us and killing our sons. Now pillar youths have declared us wanted and attack us daily.” (The Nation)

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