The mystery surrounding a deadly security operation in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State continues to deepen as the family of a missing man, Mr. Okoro Chinemerem Emmanuel, raises fresh alarm. Emmanuel disappeared during a May 2022 raid by a combined team of security operatives targeting a suspected camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Since that day, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Just three days after the operation, the Imo State Police Command published a wanted list naming several individuals, including Emmanuel, as escapees. His family, however, claims they had no prior knowledge of his involvement until they saw his name in the police bulletin.
Chidi Okoro, the missing man’s brother, told reporters in Onitsha that the family has neither received any official communication from security agencies nor found any trace of Emmanuel. He expressed fears that his brother may have been killed during the raid or is being held without access to legal counsel or family contact.
The former police spokesperson in Imo, DSP Michael Abattam, had earlier justified the raid, saying it was based on intelligence about covert IPOB activities. According to him, the joint task force involved in the mission killed several suspects, arrested others, and pursued those who fled with gunshot wounds. He also described the operation as a “shoot-at-sight” mission.
Abattam further stated that those arrested would face trial and potentially face life imprisonment or capital punishment. The police assured the public that a manhunt was ongoing for those still at large and urged anyone with information on their whereabouts to come forward, promising confidentiality and possible rewards.
Despite these assurances, civil rights groups have begun questioning the legality of the operation and the lack of transparency surrounding the arrests and disappearances. Many warn that continued silence and impunity may erode public trust and worsen tensions between communities and security agencies across the Southeast.
The Okoro family insists that Emmanuel, though known to be sympathetic to the IPOB cause, was a peaceful citizen who had merely attended a meeting to prepare for the 2022 Biafra Heroes Day. Over two years after the raid, they are still waiting for clarity on whether their son is alive or dead.
This unresolved case adds to mounting pressure on Nigerian security forces to adopt more transparent and accountable methods in handling operations related to proscribed groups and to respect the rights of all citizens, regardless of political affiliations.
