Security agents operating in no fewer than 15 vehicles, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier, burnt down a hotel, a residential house and about 15 shops in Orlu, Imo State, on Sunday. The incidents happened at Okporo and Obor communities carved out of Umutanze in the Orlu Local Government Area of the state.
Community sources alleged that the security agents, who came for the operation, supervised the burning of the hotel before they left. It was also gathered that the hospitality center, Ezeacho Hotel is owned by a businessman, Chinonso Uba.
The hotel is located on the Okporo Mgbidi Road behind St Damian’s Hospital mortuary, Okporo. Two persons were said to have lost their lives during the operation, while some guests were also arrested.
The hotelier’s country home in the Obor community was also burnt. While the reason for the burning of the hotel, house and shops had not been ascertained as of press time, our correspondent gathered that the hotelier’s mother, Mrs Dorathy Uba, is a popular politician in the local government area.
A source in the area told our correspondent that the hotelier lived with his family in the hotel. We could not ascertain if the hotelier was among the persons arrested by the security agents.
A source, who witnessed the operation, said, “The hotel is on the Okporo-Mgbidi Road behind St Damian Hospital mortuary, Okporo. The owner of the hotel is Chinonso Uba. I know him very well. He lives with his family in the hotel. The hotel is a storey building.
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Michael Abattam, promised to get back to get back to us but he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
However, a police source confirmed the operation and said the command was committed to securing the
state.