Families of those killed during the clash in Orlu, Imo State, between members of the Eastern Security Network linked with the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and soldiers are still mourning their dead. Some of them lost husbands while others lost wives to the bloody incident. The victims included husband of one Mrs. Eunice Orji from Umuhu Okabia in the Orsu Local Government Area and wife of Mr. Paul Anubem from Ozuh Omuma Community in the Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, one person from Sokoto and three other persons from Niger Republic, including a policeman and a World Bank contractor, his driver and two police orderlies. Mrs Anderline Anumbam was a 43-year-old food seller and among casualties of the January clash. Anumbam popularly known as Nwanteje by her customers was killed by a stray bullet while she was attending to her customers around 2pm on January 25. For the mother of four, January 25, was her first outing in the year. She died before she could be taken to a hospital. Her husband, paul, told our correspondent at his welding workshop that his wife was hit by a stray bullet while serving people food. He lamented that she was killed while carrying out her business. He said, “My late wife was with our two grown children in her shop that Monday because we were not sure of school resumption. When the shooting started, she was trying to protect our children and was also serving people food. I was told that my wife who was at her shop for the first time this year was hit by a stray bullet. Before I could get to her location, she was already dead. I didn’t meet alive. I saw her in a pool of her blood when I got to the hospital.’’ Anumbam, left with four children, appealed to well-meaning individuals and the government to assist him take care of his young children. Paul said his wife’s remains would be interred on March 26. While Orji and Anumbam died of stray bullets, others died when caught in the bloody attacks. Eunice Orji told our correspondent that her husband was shot dead while avoiding the clash at the popular Banana Junction. Banana Junction is a popular stopover point for travellers coming from Lagos to Imo, Abia and Akwa Ibom states. They often stop there to buy fruits. Orji, left with five young children, described her husband as the breadwinner and a peaceful man. She stated, “My husband went to a meeting that day. While returning, he saw soldiers were clashing with IPOB members. He then told the commercial motorcycle rider taking him home to turn back. It was while the rider was reversing that a stray bullet hit him. He bled to death as the bullet hit him in the neck. He was taken to a hospital dead.’’ The 49-year-old petty trader said that before she could reach the hospital where her husband was rushed to, he had died. She said, “We never bargained for this. On that day, after eating, he left for the village. It was later in the day that a young man came to my shop and asked if my husband went out. I said yes. He asked me if he was wearing a particular dress and I confirmed it. It was then I became curious and asked him if something was wrong. He then opened up to me that my husband was shot and lying at Banana junction. Before my children and I could get to the place, he had been taken to a hospital. It was a tough task locating where he was taken to.” Requesting help from the government and Nigerians, the widow said that the remains of her husband were still in the morgue because there was no money to bury her. She said, “There is no money to bury him. I try to open a shop where I sell so that my children and I can at least eat. I don’t know what the future holds for me. The future looks bleak but with God, government and good Nigerians’ help, I can at least train my children and take care of our welfare.’’ On his part, the Chairman of Nigeriens in Imo State, Ibrahim Abdulkadir said they lost three of their compatriots to the Orlu crisis. Describing the development as unfortunate, Abdulkadir called on the Federal Government to improve the security situation in the country. Abdulkadir, who said Orlu was home to most of his kinsmen, said the death of three of his compatriots was unwarranted as his people were not known to cause trouble. He said, “Most of us have lived in Orlu for a long time. We can attest to the fact that Orlu people are peaceful. That is why we don’t see ourselves as strangers. Our people are not in the state for trouble. I thank Orlu leaders for rescuing us. We didn’t provoke anything before the violence started. We thank the traditional rulers. We don’t want this crisis to fester because there is no community in Orlu that we don’t go to and we are peaceful. We don’t want to leave Orlu despite the incitement by some people.” Mrs Pauline Anuforo told our correspondent that the killing of her husband, his two police orderlies and driver was the saddest day of her life. The mother of one said she spoke to her husband in the morning before he left Benin City for Owerri that day. She added, “I didn’t know that he would be killed the same day. I didn’t know that would be his last day on earth. I didn’t also know that it would be the last time he would speak to me. I didn’t know he wouldn’t make it to the house to see me and our daughter. “He was killed on January 3 when they had entered Imo State. I didn’t know what happened. It was his driver’s wife that broke the sad
