Suspected arsonists burnt down the residence of a former lawmaker, Senator Frank Ibezim, at Ezeoke-Nsu in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo on Monday night.
The suspects, who are still at large, also torched some facilities at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Study Centre, also situated in the area.
The attacks came on the heels of a viral video report that the Federal Government planned to renovate the NOUN facility as a training ground for repentant Boko Haram insurgents.
The video followed a recent inspection visit by the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Mohammed, to the national training facility for the vulnerable, located inside the NOUN study centre.
Mohammed, who was accompanied on the visit by Ibezim, reportedly said in a TVC News interview that the inspection was in view of a training programme for vulnerable persons, which would commence at the centre before the end of the year.
A member of the community told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the condition of anonymity that the incident occurred at about 9 p.m. on Monday.
The source suspected that the attacks might have been prompted by the false video report that repentant insurgents would be relocated and trained at the NOUN facility.
“A lot of our people raised their voices against this Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) training project in that place, especially where there are no existence of IDPs in the state.
“The planners of that project were insensitive to the agitation in the area,” the source said.
A community leader, who also pleaded anonymity, lamented over the destruction of the NOUN buildings by the suspected arsonists.
He regretted that the NOUN facility also housed Ezeoke Girls’ Secondary School, with boarding facility.
“With the razing down of the buildings there, the community has lost the only boarding school and a NOUN facility in our area,” he further said.
Confirming the attacks, the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, described them as barbaric and condemnable.
The Spokesman of the Imo Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye, quoted the commissioner in a statement issued in Owerri on Tuesday.
Okoye said that the police boss had deployed the command’s Tactical Unit to identify and apprehend those responsible for the act.
The statement partly read: “Additionally, the Commissioner has instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the incident.
“This unfortunate incident reflects a disturbing trend of violence that undermines the safety and security of our communities.
“The command stands firmly against such acts and will take all necessary measures in synergy with other security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
“Furthermore, Danjuma urges the public to refrain from spreading fake news or making inciting statements that could destabilise the current peace in the state.
“He warns that anyone found guilty of spreading false information will face strict consequences.”