Church leaders who ‘hid ESN fighters from military’ arrested in Orlu 

The Imo state government has arrested some church leaders accused of harbouring members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orlu. 

There have been concerns about security situation in Orlu, with some accusing the military of invading the communities.

The government, however, said it invited the military to flush out operatives of the ESN.

The ESN was launched in December by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

“If you investigate the activities of some of these churches, you will understand that over time, hoodlums establish and use such churches as front for their nefarious activities,” Cyprian Akaolisa, Imo’s attorney-general and commissioner for justice, said on Sunday. 

“We have records that armed robbers have been hanging out as pastors; in the night they will go for their operations but in the day they wear their garments and use such white garment churches.” 

Akaolisa also accused Rochas Okorocha, senator representing Imo west, of doing nothing about the crisis. 

“It was unfortunate that the senator representing Orlu said nothing throughout the period Orlu people were being killed, he said nothing,” the commissioner said. 

“Throughout the period policemen were being killed, he said nothing. But last week I saw his press statement when he visited the house of one traditional ruler and said the monarch was molested when the police asked him to lie on the ground because he failed to identify himself properly. That is what attracted the senator representing Orlu, Chief Rochas Okorocha.”

Akaolisa said Okorocha’s silence raises a lot of questions.