For a while now, Ohafia has been in the news for the wrong reasons, especially over the periodical clash between, yet-to-be-identified gun-toting groups operating within the forest of some border communities like Okon-Aku and Amangwu Ohafia. No doubt, it has remained wonders of the 21st Century how the government with all its special apparatuses for detecting and fighting crimes, insurrection, and insurgents, has not to date, demystified this ugly hen that has come home to roost among a peaceful people, but we will leave that discussion for today, hoping and wishing that the pain of molestation, intimidation and incessant harassment of Ohafia civilians by a syndicate the government is managing properly will one day go away.

Throughout history, Ohafia is renowned for its valor as a land of warriors, but it is also a known fact that Ohafia is one of the most peaceful, accommodating, and hospitable fast-developing regions of Abia state till recent times. They have before this brouhaha, housed the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Military Barracks for decades and lived in a mutual relationship with the military without any argument until the bubbles burst. But we know that nothing happens for nothing, “for every cause there is an effect, for every action, there must be reasons”, the question is, ” WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR THE WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION IN OHAFIA?”

It is no longer news that Ohafia has lost one or two souls to continuous military actions within the communities, first, it was Amangwu Ohafia that got burnt as a result of the encounter between the soldiers and some elements occupying the border bushes far away from the community who happened not to be Ohafia indigenes.
Another recent instance was Amaekpu between the soldiers and UGM that ended up claiming more innocent lives of Ohafia sons, a mad man was not spared, of course, this is not because Amaekpu or any Ohafia Communities attacked the soldiers, no, this is because some foreigners occupying Ohafia keeps confronting the Nigerian soldiers for reasons best known to them, then the Soldiers have formed the habit of transferring their anger and aggression to Ohafia Civilians for reasons best known to them.

Who is enforcing sit-at-home in Ohafia?

Following recent developments within Ohafia in the past week with the alleged kidnap of a soldier around the Ikwun-Amuma junction, the soldiers have embarked on another round of molestation of the people within the area.

OHAFIATV News took time to investigate the cause of the ugly incident and how it relates to Amangwu and Okon-Aku Ohafia where soldiers have mounted checkpoints and occupied all entrances into the two boundary communities that have remained at the receiving end of this military show of force on civilians.
It is obvious that neither Okon-Aku nor Amangwu as a community were involved in the kidnap of any soldier, their only crime is that some unwelcomed visitors chose to occupy their bushes against their will, therefore they are now enemies to the soldiers and enemies of enemies to the soldiers. Caught up in the middle of a fight that is not their war.

Today, the gallant Nigerian soldiers took their might to Okon-Aku in the early hours of the morning around 6:00 AM, burnt some houses, destroyed some, and also touched some properties in time of peace, with no provocation, no proof of relationship to their missing friend, just a show of might against a conquered people that Ohafia has become.
After the whole community escaped for their dear lives, it was the same soldiers that were beckoning some that refused to run to come, assuring them that they did not come to kill Okon-Aku people, but only there for a few people, though they could not explain what they have against the people they burnt their houses, (maybe for security reasons), the reason for their unwarranted action remains a real cause for worry.

According to the soldiers, they are angry that Okon-Aku people are observing sit-at-home on Mondays, they left a threat that they will be back on another Monday, that if they complied with another sit-at-home, they promised to deal with the community by unleashing more punishment on them. Who knows what?

But a few questions are begging for answers from well-meaning Nigerians, the Abia State government, and the Military authorities.

1.. When Nigeria Soldiers stormed Okon-Aku Ohafia around 6:00 am to burn houses for their not opening shops, which shop opens by 6:00 am in any part of Nigeria?

2.. How do we reconcile the fact that the 3 houses burnt or touched were residential areas, what connection does that have with not opening shops on a Monday?

3.. If the Nigerian government has decided to enforce “Never-Sit-At-Home” with the military, why did they not choose to start from Ebem, the headquarters of Ohafia where we have Banks and government establishments observing “Sit-At-Home” on Mondays, rather chose to start with a community that is predominantly farmers, whose buying and selling as a business only take place in the evening after they had returned from their farms, and whose wares and businesses may not even worth over N10,000? Who is enforcing “Sit-At-Home”

For people that have seen chaos and disturbances and chose to stay away from further troubles, both within and outside, it is unfair, condemnable, and inhuman for the Nigeria soldiers to leece the enemies and turn their guns against the civilians to run away from the same monster the soldiers are shy to confront.
We are by this message putting the Nigerian Military, Abia State government, and the world on notice that the occupation, molestation, and intimidation of Ohafia by the same people (Soldiers) that are supposed to protect them and give them hope as Nigerians are no longer funny and must stop.

OHAFIA is not a conquered territory. When the soldiers begin to use guns to force the people against their will Never-To-Sit-At-Home” for avoiding an attack from people threatening them to Sit-At-Home with guns or be attacked. Then it means that the soldiers and the UGM have become two sides of the same coin.

OHAFIA NEEDS PEACE, WE ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE.

Comr Amos Kalu writes from Abuja via comramoskalu@hotmail.com