Hoodlums attack and burn down the residence of a former senator and a university study centre in Imo. Learn more about the case.
In a shocking incident, the residence of former Senator Frank Ibezim in Imo State was set ablaze by hoodlums on Monday night.
The attack took place at about 9pm in Nusu area of Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.
Ibezim, who represented Imo North district under the All Progressives Congress (APC) from 2021 to 2023, was not at home during the attack.
A video circulating on social media showed the senator’s house ablaze, with residents expressing dismay at the destruction.
As well as destroying Ibezim’s residence, the hoodlums also targeted the National Open University Learning Centre in Nusu, setting the building ablaze.
Locals believe the perpetrators of both incidents are the same. Another video clip showed the university compound ablaze, further raising fears of escalating violence in the area.
The Imo State Police confirmed the attack, with Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma denouncing it as arson. Police spokesman
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Henry Okoye issued a statement on Tuesday promising that investigations were underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the coordinated attack.
Danjuma described the attack as “senseless and unjustified.”
“This unfortunate incident reflects a disturbing trend of violence that undermines the security of our communities.
“The police leadership is strongly opposed to such acts and will take all necessary measures in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said.
The Commissioner said he had ordered the deployment of police tactical units to track down the gangsters.
He directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police at the State Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the attack.
The attack came days after Ibezim was accused of facilitating the establishment of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the National Open University campus in the NSU community for those from northern Nigeria.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other pro-Biafra groups have criticised the alleged plan and vowed to fight it.
IPOB, in a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, alleged that the Nigerian government was trying to “infiltrate” the southeast.
IPOB is a group leading the secession of parts of southeastern and southern Nigeria from Nigeria and has been linked to several deadly attacks in both regions.
However, the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.
Ibezim has since denied these allegations.
In a statement released late Monday, the former senator said claims that he had introduced the Federal Government into the community to resettle internally displaced persons and refugees from northern Nigeria were “totally false”.
He explained that the university has been in existence since October 2023 and that he only led a delegation from the Federal Government to see if the facility could be used for skills acquisition.
“To emphasize, we must reiterate that there are no plans to resettle internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants at the National Open University Centre in Nsu, Mbano Local Government, Ehime Prefecture. Such allegations are completely false,” he said.
“I would never take part in such schemes, which include vocational training for vulnerable young people in the south-east.”
