By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri Eight people were said to have sustained various degrees of injuries and 30 escaped in a clash with angry youths during a demolition exercise in Orlu town, Imo state. Narrating the story, yesterday, to Vanguard in Owerri, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha on Mayorial Affairs, Mr Emeka Osuorji, led the team of government officials on the demolition exercise.

According to Osuorji, he decided to retreat with his men when the angered youths poured fuel on their vehicles and on themselves. He added that the ugly incident took place at Owums Avenue by Amigbo road in the area and that they could be on a suicide mission. The government official said: ”

For the past one month there has been announcement for the inhabitants of Orlu city to remove the shanties, containers and illegal structures on the major streets in Orlu town.

“But It was an ugly situation, when myself and my men and some security agents, went on the removal of the shanties and illegal structures. “At first it was first peacefull while we were removing the shanties, half way into the action, some youths mobilized themselves, few of them we have identified. They attacked me and my men.

“Two out of the youths poured petrol on themselves and on our vehicles, in my decent manner of carrying out my duties I sensed the situation was getting real bad, I called my men and all the security men and we retreated to my office.

“That one did not deter them they still came after us and came to our office but they did not gain entrance into our office. I am not going to shy away what happened because it was a lesson.

“However, Eight of my staff were seriously injured, their phones were stolen, monies were stolen but nobody died.” He alleged that, “The people at Owums by Amigbo road, that is where we met this resistance. From what I got the youths who collect money from these illegal structures carried out this attack.”