Imo communities in fear as fleeing suspects return home

Communities in Imo states, whose indigenes were freed by gunmen who attacked the Owerri custodial centre on Monday, now live in fear following the return of the convicts to their homes.

Our correspondent gathered the people of Umudo in Isiala Mbano have become apprehensive following the return of an indigene, identified as Abuchi, who is known to be a hardened criminal.

Abuchi was said to be one of the suspects who escaped from the centre after he was released by the gunmen.

A native of the community, who identified himself as Okechukwu, said that he was sitting in front of his house at about 6.40 am when he saw some men on bikes wearing what looked like prison uniforms.

He said, “By then we have not heard what was happening. All of a sudden, I saw Abuchi. He got down from a bike rushed into the compound and in some minutes came out wearing new clothes and zoomed off with the same bike.”

He said that Abuchi is s known criminal who had been terrorising the people of the community adding that he had been detained several times.

“We are afraid that he will come after those who reported him to the people. He has been detained several times. He is in the habit of waylaying market women and snatching their money.”

It was also gathered the people of Okwu Uratta in Owerri North local government area of the state are in jeopardy following the return of a known kidnapper from the area.

Our correspondent further learnt that the suspect was a member of a kidnapping gang that kidnapped the wife of a traditional ruler in the area and killed her.

The house of the suspect was subsequently pulled down by the community and some elders of the community are already on the run when they learnt of his escape. The traditional ruler was also said to have hurriedly left the town on learning about his return.

A member of the community expressed fear that if the suspect was able to coordinate the kidnap of the traditional ruler’s wife while in detention, there’s no limit to what he could do outside detention.

However residents of residents of Umuawom village in Ikeduru Local Government Area could not bear the further nuisances of a member of their community who was also one of the escapees.

They caught him and set him ablaze.

The suspect was said to have been apprehended while allegedly threatening to kill a family member.

The escapee, whose identity could not be ascertained was said to have grown up in Umuawom, his maternal home, was a native the Ogwa community in Mbaitoli.

He was said to have been involved in the kidnap of an Umuawom indigene and had been in custody for over a year.

It was gathered that he went straight to one of the families that testified against him and threatened to deal with the members.