Imo Violence: Uzodinma Absolves IPOB/ESN, Reveals Those Behind It |The Source

By Charles Igbo

In a surprise about-turn, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, absolved the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra, IPOB, and its Security Branch, Eastern Security Network, ESN, of being responsible for the deadly attack on Owerri Correctional Centre and the Imo State Police Command Headquarters.

The two Federal Government concerns had come under heavy attack on Easter Monday, by hundreds of hoodlums who invaded them with heavy weapons, including dynamites and explosives. During the attack, 1844 prisoners were released, and buildings set ablaze. At the Police Command Headquarters, detainees were set free, buildings razed, and about 50 vehicles set ablaze.

In his initial reaction, Uzodinma had blamed IPOB/ESN for the attack. And so did the now sacked IGP of Police, Mohamed Adamu. Sources say Adamu was sacked over the embarrassing attack.

But speaking on a Channels Television Programme on Wednesday, the Governor made a u-turn. Absolving the Group, Uzodinma put the blame at the feet of aggrieved politicians who wanted to destabilise the State and the APC, his party.

He said the hoodlums were recruited from outside the State.

IPOB had earlier denied responsibility of the attack, even though many people think to the contrary.

Uzodinma: “The attack was sponsored by aggrieved politicians.Their tactics is that they try to identify grievances of people in a particular area. If it is in Imo State, and probably there are some IPOB who are not too happy, they hire hoodlums from outside Imo State, they bring them in, pretending to be IPOB, and they commit these crimes, and they go away.

“So, it is not about IPOB. Yes, we agree, we have aggrieved IPOB members but I can tell you those who are doing this destruction. Most of them were brought in from outside Imo State.

“I have done some thorough investigation and I have some credibls leads as to those who are sponsoring these activities of these hoodlums.”

The Governor had also said he would set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the sad incident.