Residents of Orsu, Orlu, Ihiala, and surrounding communities in Southeast Nigeria have continued to recount chilling tales of violence, lawlessness, and fear allegedly perpetuated by a group loyal to Simon Ekpa, the self-styled Prime Minister of the so-called Biafra Republic Government in Exile.
Ekpa, who resides in Finland, is accused of sponsoring terrorism in Igboland through armed factions claiming to fight for Biafran liberation.
One such faction, initially known as “Umuoma,” later rebranded as the Biafra Liberation Army (BLA). According to multiple eyewitness reports, the group operated with impunity, launching attacks, abducting civilians, and carrying out brutal killings across Orsu, Orsumoghu, and Lilu.
Residents allege that the militia would brand ordinary people as “saboteurs” without evidence, executing them in cold blood.
“They shot anyone who disagreed with their ideology or refused to obey their illegal directives,” a survivor told reporters. “People fled their homes in droves. Our towns became ghost towns overnight.”
Disturbingly, the gang has also been linked to heinous crimes such as organ harvesting, rape, armed robbery, and carjackings.
Sources claim the group would abduct individuals, kill them, and remove vital organs, allegedly selling them on the black market.
Young girls, some reportedly as young as 12, were raped, and cars were snatched from innocent motorists, often accompanied by the killing of the vehicle owner to “make a statement.”
“They claim to be fighting for Biafra, but they are terrorizing their own people,” lamented a local leader from Ihiala. “They turned our peaceful villages into slaughterhouses.”
The group is also accused of forcibly recruiting young boys into their ranks. Those who resisted were either threatened with death or labeled enemies of the movement.
Once recruited, the boys were trained to carry out violent crimes, transforming into what residents described as “armed beasts.”
Markets, especially the Ekeututu Market in Orsu, were not spared. Traders recounted how the armed men stormed the market frequently, firing gunshots indiscriminately, robbing vendors, and carting away goods.
“We watched old women run in fear, leaving their wares behind. It was like a war zone,” one trader said.
However, recent joint military operations by Nigerian security forces have made significant progress in dislodging the insurgents.
According to security sources, many of the militants have been neutralized, and several hideouts destroyed. Some gang members have fled into neighboring towns and across borders, while the military continues manhunts to root out the remaining elements.
The Federal Government has since launched efforts to stabilize the region and called on displaced residents to return home.
“Peace is gradually returning to Orsu and its environs,” a statement from a security official reads. “We urge the people to reclaim their communities and cooperate with security agencies to ensure lasting peace.”
Meanwhile, calls are growing louder for the Finnish government to take decisive action against Simon Ekpa, whose influence and rhetoric have been linked to the chaos in the region.
Many Igbo leaders and rights groups have urged international authorities to investigate and prosecute Ekpa for alleged sponsorship of terrorism and crimes against humanity.
As the dust begins to settle in Orsu, the scars remain. But residents are hopeful that the darkness of terror will finally give way to lasting peace.
