Lilu, a once-vibrant community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, South-East Nigeria has been reduced to a ghost town, its streets echoing with the silence of fear and desolation.
Since
2020, unknown gunmen, hiding under the guise of secessionism, have unleashed a
reign of terror on this border town, leaving a trail of death, destruction, and
displacement. The traditional ruler, HRH Igwe Godson Onyediri, along with many
notable residents, remains in exile, their homes and heritage reduced to ashes.
Despite earlier claims of liberation by the state-backed Agunechemba Security
outfit, the reality on the ground paints a grim picture: Lilu is still a town
under siege.
The
scale of devastation is staggering. The palace of Igwe Onyediri, a symbol of
cultural pride, lies in ruins, alongside his residence, security post, and Obi.
The homes of prominent figures like Chief Chidi Nwanoneze, Chief Christian
Awugosi, and High Chief Ifeanyi Ozodimbu have been looted or razed. Community
infrastructure, including the Akwalilu and Umuodochi village halls,
high-tension cables, and all transformers in Lilu, has been systematically
destroyed or looted to the last metal.
Essential
communication networks, including Airtel and MTN/9Mobile masts, have been
demolished, isolating the town further. Over 20 residences and businesses,
including Mr. Olikagu’s shopping mall and Chief James Ezeiheukwu’s house, have
been burnt or vandalized, stripping Lilu of its economic and social fabric.
The
human toll is even more heartbreaking. At least 27 lives have been lost to this
senseless violence, each name a wound in the heart of the community: Nze
Nicholas Olikagu, Chinyere Ann Nwanoneze, Kingsley Okeke, Ada Ginger, and young
Chigozie, son of Cornelius, among others. These were not just names but
fathers, mothers, siblings, and neighbors, pillars of a community now shattered
by grief. Families mourn, displaced residents languish in exile, and those who
remain live in constant fear, their livelihoods destroyed, their futures
uncertain.
In a
press statement dated February 1, 2025, signed by Palace Secretary Chief Osita
Dominic Okoli, the exiled Igwe Onyediri refuted claims of liberation, declaring
that Lilu remains under the grip of non-state actors. The statement expressed
hope in the Agunechemba Security Squad, instituted by the Anambra State
government, but this hope is fading as the town continues to bleed.
Factreporters.com.ng’s investigations confirm the dire situation: the
traditional ruler and prominent community members remain in exile, unable to
return to a town that has become a shadow of itself.
The
people of Lilu are not just statistics; they are Nigerians crying out for their
right to safety, dignity, and a place to call home. The destruction of their
homes, the murder of their loved ones, and the desecration of their cultural
heritage are a call to action that cannot be ignored.
The
Anambra State government, security agencies, and all stakeholders must act
swiftly to restore peace and rebuild this broken community. The Agunechemba
Security Squad must rise to the occasion, not just in rhetoric but in decisive
action, to liberate Lilu from the clutches of terror.
The
nation watches, and history will judge. Will Lilu be left to fade into oblivion,
or will the government heed this desperate plea and restore hope to a people
who have lost so much? The time to act is now. Lilu cannot wait.
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