Residents of no fewer than five oil-producing communities in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, have threatened to stop claiming Imo as their state of origin, following many years of alleged marginalisation in the scheme of things in the state.
One of the leaders of the communities, Mr. Friday Keruo, told our correspondent that his people had allegedly suffered neglect in the hands of past and present administrations in the state, which denied their teeming graduates job opportunities.
Keruo said that in spite of the fact that they were oil-bearing communities of the state, the situation had caused the people many years of starvation, poverty, discrimination, youth restiveness and underdevelopment.
He maintained that because the communities had nobody in government in the state, whenever they demanded their rights, the state usually deployed security agents to intimidate and suppress their agitation.
The community leader said since all efforts by the people to get the government to address their grievances, especially regarding their marginalisation in the scheme of things in the state, had failed, they had resolved to join their kinsmen in Rivers State.
He accused the state government of not being sincere in addressing the grievances of the people of the area.
He said, “Imo government has dealt with us for many years and that is why we are restive and indulge in different notorious acts just to survive and make our daily bread. But thank God that our boys are today engaging in menial jobs to survive.
“The last time, when we wanted to move to the government house on a peaceful demonstration, they sent the Army to hold us hostage, even when we did not do anything unlawful. They held us for over 12 hours and it took the intervention of some of our elite before they let us off. We will no longer take it, if such is their plan to humiliate us.”
He accused Governor Rochas Okorocha of making “fake and flimsy promises that cannot hold water at the end of the day,” warning that the people of the communities would not cast their votes for the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2019 elections.
The community leader further accused the state government of being wicked to his people, adding that the indigenes were denied job opportunities despite the fact that the area had the best
hands to occupy positions of authority.
