The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has said that no state in the South East subscribed to the planned protest, hence the need for Imo indigenes and residents to ignore the call and go about their normal businesses.

“No South East State has yet enlisted in the application of States going for protest,” he said.

The Governor made the clarification at the Landmarks Event Centre in Owerri on Wednesday when he addressed the gathering of Imo Stakeholders, comprising the youths, traditional rulers, faith groups and political Party leaders, Labour leaders, market men and women, academics among others on the State of the Nation, and the need to continue in the struggle for a peaceful and united Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general.

Governor Uzodimma reminded the stakeholders that the political struggle for leadership in Imo State ought to have been a  settled matter by now, going by the outcome of the last election, but regretted that those who lost in the last election have refused to tow the line of democracy “because they think if it is not them, there will not be government.”

He  bemoaned the resurgence of blood letting of innocent souls which he said is not acceptable by “God and even Satan,” emphasising that the “principles of democracy demand that you wait for the next election to make changes as the killing of human beings is not the culture of an Igbo man and should not be allowed.”

He enumerated the steps taken by the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the current temporary hardships such as distribution of palliatives, the sell of crude oil in Naira to owners of refineries operating in the country, the approval of funds for the most vulnerable in our society among others.

Other strategy already in place is the release of one trailer load of rice per Local Government in Imo State and 10 trailer loads of fertilizer for farmers in the State as palliatives in the short run.

Governor Uzodimma explained that through strategic partnership with the Federal government, he has garnered a lot of support just as he has continued to enjoy the goodwill of Imo people based on his performance in the last four and half years in office.

He charged the stakeholders to speak to the consciences of their brothers and sisters not to be used by enemies of progress to cause mayhem and distrort the developmental trajectory and policies of the State.

“All over the world, democracy is the best form of Government where, if you don’t like the present leadership, you wait for the next election and approach the ballot box and change the leadership,” he said and urged criminals and kidnappers to allow our people to go to farm so that we can have food on our table.

The Governor noted that “what Imo State people need today is permanent electricity supply, accessible good roads, hospitals and schools,” noting that “in the absence of these,  Imo State doesn’t have an economy.”

He insisted that a conducive environment  will spike the entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo man, hence the need for steady power supply cannot be toyed with.

On this note, he thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting Imo State an energy and economic free trade zone at the Orashi area of the State, informing that the dredging of the Orashi river to the Atlantic will properly start by September with the  conclusion of the hydrographic survey.

He said the multiplier effect of all the efforts from his economic revival policies will be the creation of over 15,000 jobs when they are in place.

Again, the Governor assured that by the first quarter of 2025 Orashi Electricity will be fully in operation and that Imo State will be better for it in terms of electricity generation.

“We need to think good for our place and people, and if the environment is attractive those abroad will come back.”

On the scheduled Local Government Election in Imo State in September, the Governor said: “I am not going to influence the Local Government Election, it will be transparent.

We must go by the rules and ensure that credible people that will serve the people are elected.”

He advised those angling for positions as either Chairman or Councilor to go to their people and sell themselves since they will be accountable to the people at the end of the day.

The Governor hinted that the State has been directed by the Federal Government to collect names of 400 persons per Electoral Ward who will be receiving N50,000 per month to cushion their hardship, indicating that the LGA Chairmen will work with opinion moulders in their area to articulate the names of the those who really deserve to receive the money.

The Governor asked the stakeholders to go home and tell their people that “we don’t need crisis.”

He challenged Community leaders to find out what is happening in their area, what is happening in their farm and to the farmers and make arrangement to protect the farmers.

He canvassed for a better collaboration between the traditional rulers and the President Generals, the Communities and the Local Governments, the State and the Federal Government, as doing so will foster  peace, unity, progress, growth and development for the good of the citizens.

He encouraged traditional rulers and Town Union and President Generals to put additional efforts to “stop quarrels and keep the peace by reconciling, showing love, making sacrifices and serving your people.”

The Governor assured that between now and January 2025, the State will revive some of the old industries founded by late Governor Sam Mbakwe, citing the Concord Hotel as one of them.

He also hinted that the government is set to revoke all industrial plots not developed at the Imo State Industrial Layout by those who acquired them after 50 years of allocation.

Present at the programme were the Speaker and members of Imo State House of Assembly, the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Cosmas Iwu, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie and members of the State’s Expanded Executive Council.

Others were Senators and members of the Federal House of Representatives, the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Emmanuel Okeke and his colleagues from the State, captains of industries, and many others.

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

An embarrassed Imo State Police Command has stated that some hoodlums and criminal elements have resorted to waging a guerilla war on the State.

It has been bad in Imo State in the past two days as gunmen run wild, even within the Owerri State Capital.

Reports indicate that the situation has been anything but good as gunmen prowl the roads and streets from Orji, Egbu, the Shoprite areas, all in Owerri North.

Owerri West was not spared either as gunmen attacked and killed four Policemen and a civilian in one fell swoop at Irete on Tuesday.

Panic-gripped Imo residents are sending out text messages warning people to stay indoors. There is confusion and people are asking: Where are the Police and other Security Agencies?

These attacks came on the heels of assurances to the people by the Imo State Police  Command that it was in full charge.

However, in the face of the attacks, the Police has assured again that it will deal with the miscreants responsible for the attacks and killing of security operatives ,as well as innocent members of the public .

With less than two days after mauling down four police personnel and a civilian, some suspected   armed members of the   Autopilots faction of Simon Ekpa’s Indigenous peoples of Biafra IPOB ,on Wednesday July 31, held parts parts of Owerri captive.

Residents of Owerri/Okigwe road ,Douglas Road ,Aba road and Imo State University junction all in the capital city were confined to their residences as a result of heavy attacks on the areas by the gunmen .

Others on routine business activities were forced to abandon them and ran for their lives amidst  the sporadic exchange of gun fire between the attackers and Security Operatives.

In a brazen show of audacity, the gunmen, also, attempted to invade the Owerri Correctional Centre, but were resisted by Security Operatives.

The Imo Police Command Spokesperson, Henry Okoye, while speaking, blamed the ugly development on IPOB.

He described the  gunmen as pure cowards who have decided to operate under cover to unleash mayhem on innocent people.

“They are pure cowards. The criminals are suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB and Eastern Security Network ESN who have adopted a guerilla strategy whereby they come out from their enclaves, unleash a surprise attack and go back into hiding” he noted

He has, however, promised that all efforts are being made to track the attackers down by security agencies

“The Commissioner of Police has personally led men to the scene. The Command is on top of the situation.

“We will get the miscreants responsible for these senseless attacks either dead or alive,” the police vowed.

The Source reports that the ongoing attacks particularly on vulnerable spots may not be unconnected with the activities of enforcers of the one week sit-at-order earlier proclaimed by Simon Ekpa group on the Southeast region .

The Finland-based leader of the IPOB faction had  billed the sit-at-home for between Monday July 29 and Saturday August 3 2024 .