Awara kingdom to Okorocha: Save us from 'Degbam' and 'Beamup' cult groups

Awara, a small oil-rich community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State is currently under siege by cultists who kill, maim, rape and render indigenes homeless by razing their houses. STANLEY UZOARU, in Owerri, reports.

The situation seemed to be out of hand presently since law enforcement agents are be­ing overpowered and killed by the cult gangs. Many residents of the area are on exile, including the tradi­tional ruler who the cultist have allegedly threatened to kill. A situation that can be likened to the proverb "if the fire can consume the tortoise with the iron coat, why not the fowl with the feathered gown"

Only aged indigenes of the community are left to watch over the ruins caused by the cultists. The able youths are said to have fled to the cities while hoping the situation would get bet­ter someday.

The crisis in Awara ap­peared to be given the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha a sleepless night, the governor who have vis­ited the community sev­eral times for assessment of damages almost broke down in tears on his dis­covery as he relay his ex­perience to journalists he briefed at the Government House recently.

Governor Okorocha who appeared hapless have tak­en the matter before the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and hoping for an immediate action on the issue. According to the governor, he believes the cult gang invades his state from Omok in Rivers state since the community share a common boundary with them.

He said “the situation is quite pathetic, cultist have sacked an entire commu­nity, they have continued to terrorize and maim in­nocent citizens of the state, i am quite aware of the hap­penings and that is why i have taken the matter to NEC meeting, this can no longer continue” The gov­ernor who also berated the oil companies in the com­munity for taken advantage of the situation to continue to exploit their oil said they should have found an ami­cable solution to the crisis.

Crux of the infighting be­tween the rival cult gangs known as “Degbam” and “Beamup” according to an indigene of the community who do not want his name mentioned is all about the channel of the money paid by the oil companies to wrong hands, which have deprived the community of basic social amenities such as good roads, water and electricity.

Awara community have been without these infra­structure for over twenty years especially electricity. The rage the source said has led to the restiveness of the youths of the community which he noted, unfortu­nately have been hijacked by the benefactors of the proceeds from the oil wind­fall who have unleashed their “thugs” on who dare sniff into their selfish de­sires.

The source further nar­rated how he was traveling for the weekend to see his ill mother but was stopped by the cultist at a junction leading to the community where they have since bar­ricaded and ordered him to go back to where he was coming from.

“When they stopped me and asked me to go back, I asked them why and they said if I don’t go back they will shoot me, so I told them to go ahead and kill me, when they shot into the air, I realized that they are serious,I have to ask the driver who was already scared conveying me to turn around” the source said.

Already, over eighty in­digenes of the community have been brutally mur­dered by the cultists while scores are said to be seri­ously injured as the skir­mishes in the community rages on.

One of the oil company in the community recently in a town hall meeting held in Owerri denied their in­volvement in the crisis and rather blamed the youths for their insatiable demand.

The company also ac­cused the youths of caus­ing damages to their own amenities.

Although, soldiers are still stationed at the troubled community yet the indi­genes have no confidence in them in arresting the situation, they alleged that the soldiers rather than save them from the attacks, har­ass and intimidate them.

The police also are not helping matters, one of the indigenes have told The AUTHORITY. The police they claimed are never at the scene just about the time they are needed. But the state commissioner of police, Taiwo Lakanu who have never denied knowl­edge of the crisis have often assured that his men are handling the situation.