Group Accuses Soldiers of Burning Homes in Imo, Demands Urgent Investigation

Soldiers have been accused of burning houses and looting property in Umualumaku, a community in Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

The incident reportedly occurred on July 23, 2025, sparking outrage from a human rights group demanding accountability.

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, has petitioned the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, urging a full investigation into the incident. The group based its call on a complaint by Anayo Vigilus Njoku, a Lagos-based technician, who claimed his family home and newly completed retirement house were destroyed during a military operation in the area.

Njoku alleged that soldiers looted both buildings, carting away phones, food items, household goods, and personal belongings before setting the properties on fire. He also claimed that relatives who attempted to stop the fire were threatened with guns by the soldiers.

The rights group described the event as part of a troubling pattern of security operations in the South-East that target civilians and destroy private property. It warned that such acts, if left unpunished, could deepen distrust between residents and security agencies and worsen an already tense situation in the region.

According to the petition dated July 26, RULAAC called on military authorities to identify those involved and determine whether the actions were lawful. The group also asked for disciplinary or criminal sanctions where necessary and demanded clear instructions be given to military units to avoid unlawful conduct during operations.

RULAAC urged both federal and state governments to support affected individuals, including Mr. Njoku, through relief and compensation. It called for collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant bodies to help victims recover.

The petition was also sent to several local and international bodies, including the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Defence, Governor Hope Uzodimma, the United Nations Human Rights Office, the Nigerian Bar Association, and National Assembly committees.

RULAAC maintained that while security forces have a duty to tackle rising violence in the region, they must not cross the line into collective punishment. It stressed that military action must be rooted in law and intelligence—not fear, vengeance, or destruction.