After Five Years of Gun Battles, Fragile Calm Returns to Displaced Imo Communities
Displaced residents of Orlu and Orsu Local Government Areas of Imo State, southeastern Nigeria, are gradually returning to their communities, five years after prolonged violence turned parts of the region into a battleground, according to findings by Globalvoice.
The crisis intensified from mid-2021 when an armed group linked to Finland-based separatist politician Simon Ekpa reportedly established a base in the Ihitte-Ukwa forest area of Orsu. The group was accused of attacking and killing soldiers and police officers, abducting residents for ransom and enforcing a previously suspended sit-at-home directive associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
A displaced resident of Orsu, Dr. Cyril Isaiah, told News Central TV that security forces pushed the militants out of the area in 2024. However, he said the withdrawal of some security personnel subsequently allowed the armed group to return and resume attacks on residents and security personnel along major roads.
According to Isaiah, the prolonged violence resulted in thousands of deaths across affected communities, while many residents were forced to abandon their homes.
In March 2026, the Nigerian military announced that its troops had reclaimed several communities in Orsu Local Government Area from members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a militant group associated with IPOB.
However, reports from residents and media accounts indicated that some armed elements remained active around the outskirts of affected communities, contributing to continued fear and delaying the return of many displaced families.
The Eastern Security Network was established in December 2020 by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. The group was initially described by its supporters as a security outfit intended to protect communities and farmlands in southeastern Nigeria from attacks by armed groups.
Speaking to Globalvoice, Boniface Chukwu, a displaced resident of Ihitte-Ukwa in Orsu, said the security situation had improved considerably in recent months.
“Since the jail sentences of Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa, the situation in my hometown, as well as neighbouring communities such as Lilu and Orsumoghu in Anambra State, has improved positively,” Chukwu said.
“We are still trying our best to recover the minor outskirts still inhabited by ESN terrorists,” he added.
Chukwu said he had recently begun visiting his family home and observed that some residents were gradually returning.
“I do visit my family house nowadays, and people are gradually returning back home,” he said.
Another resident, Chigozie Nnabugwu, told News Central TV that violence had declined significantly following the arrests and convictions of prominent separatist figures.
“The time Simon Ekpa was arrested, violent attacks on civilians and security operatives reduced by 50 percent, and when Nnamdi Kanu was convicted, it reduced to 10 percent,” Nnabugwu said.
He added: “If Nnamdi Kanu is killed today, trust me, normalcy will return to the Southeast.”
Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in Kenya in 2021 and subsequently brought back to Nigeria, where he faced terrorism-related charges. On November 20, 2025, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Simon Ekpa, who had been accused by Nigerian authorities of involvement in violent separatist activities, has also faced legal proceedings and imprisonment.
Despite the reported improvement in security, residents say the return to normal life remains gradual. Some families are still reluctant to return permanently because of lingering concerns over the presence of armed groups in remote areas.
For many displaced residents, the gradual reopening of communities and improved security offer renewed hope of rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods and returning to the lives they left behind during years of violence.
