By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The abduction of Hon. Ngozi Ogbu, a former Chairman of Okigwe LGA and one-time member of the Imo State House of Assembly, has once again thrown into stark relief the frightening security crisis engulfing Imo State.
Beyond politics, beyond partisanship, this is first and foremost about human life and the responsibility of government to protect its citizens.
I don’t know Hon. Ogbu, but those who know him say he is a gentleman, a mediator of peace, and a devoted family man. Reports indicate that he returned home despite security risks to make arrangements for his late mother’s burial – a decision rooted in duty and love. Tragically, that decision has now left him in the hands of abductors. Even more alarming, Hon. Ogbu is said to be suffering from health challenges that require medication and medical supervision, raising the stakes of his continued captivity.
Yet, instead of uniting in outrage, segments of the political class have turned his abduction into a platform for trading accusations and scoring cheap political points. This is reprehensible. The kidnapping of an Imo citizen – be it a political leader, a farmer, a student, or a trader – should never be reduced to partisan propaganda. Human lives must not be politicized.
The hard truth is that Imo State, like much of the Southeast, has endured a sustained wave of violence over the past five years. Communities have been terrorized by armed groups who cloak their criminality in the language of secession, while ordinary people pay the price in blood, trauma, and ruined livelihoods. In Okigwe, Orsu, and other hotspots, lives have been lost, properties destroyed, and families displaced.
Governor Hope Uzodimma and security agencies have repeatedly declared their resolve to defeat these criminal networks, and indeed, there have been operations that pushed back armed groups. But the persistence of abductions, killings, and other violent crimes makes it clear that more needs to be done. Security responses must not only be forceful but also strategic, intelligence-driven, and coordinated with federal agencies. Piecemeal or reactive measures will not suffice against well-entrenched networks of terror and criminality.
The federal government must also treat the crisis in Imo and the wider Southeast with the seriousness it deserves. Abuja cannot afford to look away. Coordinated federal-state collaboration, increased investment in intelligence gathering, and effective community engagement are essential to dismantling these networks and restoring peace.
Meanwhile, the opposition must resist the temptation to exploit tragedies for political mileage. Silence in the face of terror or, worse, the deliberate framing of armed groups as freedom fighters, only emboldens criminality. Imo needs leaders who will rise above politics to speak with one voice against terror, kidnappings, and killings.
The immediate priority is clear: Hon. Ngozi Ogbu must be rescued alive and returned safely to his family. But beyond his case lies the larger task of reclaiming Imo from the grip of fear. Until insecurity is addressed decisively and comprehensively, no family is safe, no community is secure, and no political or economic progress can be sustained.
The lives of Imo people must never again be gambled with in the name of politics. It is time for unity, not division; for coordinated action, not rhetoric. Imo State deserves peace.
