Suspected arsonists, on Monday night, torched the residence of a former lawmaker, Frank Ibezim, at Ezeoke-Nsu in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo.

The suspects, who are still at large, also burnt down some facilities at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Study Centre, also in the area.

The attacks were coming on the heels of a viral video report that the federal government planned to renovate the NOUN facility as a training ground for repentant Boko Haram insurgents.

The video followed a recent inspection visit by the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Mohammed, to the national training facility for the vulnerable inside the NOUN study centre.

Mr Mohammed, accompanied by Mr Ibezim, reportedly said in a TVC News interview that the inspection was in view of a training programme for vulnerable persons, which would commence at the centre before the end of the year.

A community member told journalists on anonymity that the incident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Monday.

The source suspected that the attacks might have been prompted by the false video report that repentant insurgents would be relocated and trained at the NOUN facility.

“A lot of our people raised their voices against this Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) training project in that place, especially where there are no existence of IDPs in the state.

“The planners of that project were insensitive to the agitation in the area,” the source said.

A community leader, who also pleaded anonymity, lamented over the destruction of the NOUN buildings by the suspected arsonists.

He regretted that the NOUN facility also housed Ezeoke Girls’ Secondary School, with a boarding facility.

Confirming the attacks, the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, described them as barbaric and condemnable.

The spokesman of the Imo Police Command, ASP Henry Okoye, quoted the commissioner in a statement in Owerri on Tuesday.

Mr Okoye said the police boss had deployed the command’s tactical unit to identify and apprehend those responsible for the act.

“The command stands firmly against such acts and will take all necessary measures in synergy with other security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said.

(NAN)