The Imo State Government has said it may be forced to take serious actions against deliberate falsehood and lies aimed at inciting the people against the Government. It said it definitely knows where the dissemination of such false publications are coming from, and may take action as a deterrent to such mischief.
The Government was reacting to a viral, false, statement, to the effect that the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, had given the Miyetti Allah the sum of N8million as compensation for cows, allegedly, stolen and/or killed at Ezinihitte, Mbaise.
The story came in form of a Press Release, purportedly issued and signed by the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Media, to the Governor, Oguwuike Nwachuku.
But in a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, and signed by Nwachuku, the Government denied any such payment, or any such meetings with anybody, and decried the constant use of the name and office of the CPS/SA to perpetrate crime, reminding those concerned that forgery is serious crime.
The Statement recalled how a false statement was also issued in the wake of the passing of Malam Abba Kyari, until his death, the Chief of Staff to the President, that Uzodinma had renamed the Imo State University to Abba Kyari University.
Pointing accusing fingers at the main opposition party in the State, the Government also denied encouraging Almajiris, in anyway, to settle in the state, and warned that it would henceforth take legal action as a deterrent to such mischief.
Following, excerpts from the Press Statement.
“The attention of the Office of the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma has been drawn to fake news making the rounds on social media, purporting that Imo State Government paid ₦8m to Fulani herdsmen, who allegedly lost their cows at Ezinihitte Mbaise.
“In the said fake news, the criminals also purportedly wrote that the Governor met with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) at the Government House, Owerri.
“Those who generated the obvious fake news also criminally signed off for the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, in a desperate attempt to legitimise their criminal intent and have the buy-in of the public.
“This is not the first, nor will it likely be the last, time agents of the opposition will criminally issue a statement purporting same to
have emanated from the Office of the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser. They did when former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari died and, in their warped mentality and hallucination, renamed the Imo State University after Kyari.
“Their intention then was to deploy misinformation to discredit the government of Governor Uzodimma
and cause disharmony between the government and the good people of Imo State. They failed!
“Again, today, May 14, 2020, the same people whose stock in trade is to disseminate false reports on social media to satiate the appetite of their paymasters have been paid to do what
they and their sponsors are good at: criminality. Again, they have failed!
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Government of Imo State under the watch of our able Governor Uzodimma does not know what the sponsored criminals are talking about as regards the purported payment of ₦8m and meeting.
“The Office of the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, therefore, dissociate itself from the
purported press release and purported payment, the imaginary meetings between the Governor and MACBAN, and the gibberish associated with the non-existent meetings.
“While the government is very much committed to a society, where constructive criticism helps to bring development, it will continue to have zero tolerance for people who deploy criminality and subjective criticism with the intention of misinforming and misleading the public.
“It is a shame that the purveyours of fake news on the current Imo State Government have sold their consciences that one wonders if Mac Zukerberg, the founder of Facebook and also owner of Whatsapp, will not be wondering if they are under spell.
“On a day Imo people are reflecting and rejoicing over nearly one billion Naira that has been traced to be in dormant accounts in one bank alone due to the recklessness of the past administrations, a gang of sponsored social media zealots are busy orchestrating fake news, just to divert attention and cause disharmony. What a shame?
“The government of Governor Uzodimma is irrevocably committed to good governance and will not be
distracted, not even by the resort to fake news by the opposition and their agents as a blackmail tool.
“The public in general and Imo people in particular should, therefore, ignore every fake news meant to misinform them about Imo State Government activities, more so, as Governor Uzodimma is not interested in telling anybody lies. The era of deceit is gone.
“We also caution the reading public to be wary of fake news materials they are quick to help the criminal-minded propagandists, blackmailers and enemies of development share on social media as doing so will portray them as accomplices.”
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