HURIWA Demands Probe of LGA Funds Amid Imo Killings

By Chinedu Echianu

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Imo State Government and local authorities in Ideato North Local Government Area (LGA) of abandoning families affected by the recent mass killing in Arondizuogu and Umualoma, describing the official response as “shocking and cruel.”

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the rights group urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a forensic probe into the use of local government allocations in the state.

According to HURIWA, weeks after the massacre, bereaved families remain without official relief or a clear restitution plan from the Imo State Government, Ideato North LGA leadership, or the zonal senator’s office. This, the group said, is despite Governor Hope Uzodimma’s public pledge from Owerri to ensure arrests and compensation.

HURIWA contrasted the state and local inaction with the swift intervention of Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, member representing Ideato North/South in the House of Representatives, who visited Arondizuogu, met with families, and disbursed ₦5 million in immediate assistance while launching a broader victims’ support fund. The group noted that his plans reportedly include ₦5 million per bereaved family under the “Ideato Victim Support” initiative.

The association questioned why no part of the ₦453.1 million allocated to Ideato North in June 2025 from the Federation Account has been publicly earmarked for emergency relief, security reinforcement, trauma care, or direct family support. It reminded authorities that following the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024 ruling, FAAC allocations are paid directly to LG accounts to promote transparency and service delivery.

HURIWA also criticised Senator Osita Izunaso for not personally visiting the affected communities, saying his claim of sending representatives fell short of what was required. It similarly faulted the Ideato North council chairman, Arch. Chukwunonso Okparaeke, for failing to provide a detailed account of how the council’s recent allocations have been spent.

“This is not a partisan quarrel but a governance test in a state where violence has become tragically frequent,” the statement said, urging the Imo State Emergency Management Agency to partner with faith-based groups and civil society to deliver psychosocial support and a comprehensive needs assessment.

The group also called for a transparent casualty audit, noting that reported death tolls range from seven confirmed fatalities to over 20, with several others feared dead.

While commending Ugochinyere for what it described as “people-first representation,” HURIWA urged Governor Uzodimma to make a direct visit to the affected areas and unveil a detailed relief and security plan with clear timelines and budgets. It further called on the Imo State House of Assembly to activate oversight on local government accountability in line with the spirit of the Supreme Court judgment.

“The bereaved families deserve more than condolences; they deserve presence, protection, and proof that public money reaches them in their most vulnerable moments,” HURIWA concluded. “If we cannot account for hundreds of millions that arrive monthly to the councils at a time when citizens are being cut down in their sleep, then the promise of local government autonomy is being betrayed.”