Politics

IPOB denies hand in Anambra killings, points at Imo gov, Uzodimma

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied responsibility in the various violent incidents that have so far taken place in Anambra State in recent times, saying neither the group nor its military wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) has anything to do with them.

The group in a statement on Monday made available to Ripples Nigeria, said insinuations that it was responsible for violence in Anambra which stakeholders said could disrupt the November 6 governorship election in the state was not true as they have nothing to do with the incidences.

The group also said the four persons reportedly killed by the military in Nnobi in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the state which were wrongly labelled as ESN operatives by the military, were bandits recruited by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and other politicians to hijack the election.

The statement signed by IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, insisted that there was an ongoing “genocide plan in the South-East zone against Biafrans”, saying it was worrisome that the international community and global rights organisations were not doing anything about it.

The statement reads:

“The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the claims by Nigerian government and its military that they killed four IPOB and ESN operatives in Nnobi Idemili South LGA, Anambra State.

“We want to categorically state that IPOB and ESN members were not the ones killed in the said operation.

“Neither IPOB members nor ESN operatives were among those purportedly killed by the Army in Nnobi two days ago.

What happened was that they mistakenly killed some criminals and terrorists recruited by Supreme Court Administrator in Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, and the All Progressives Congress to wreck havoc in South-East.

“These hooligans are the ones unleashing mayhem on our people in the name of ESN, just to implicate and demonise IPOB. But nemesis caught up with them.”

The group also alleged that the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodima, had been “employing all manner of strategies to deliver Anambra State to APC,” urging the residents to resist him.

“We want the media to summon courage and ask the Nigerian military to tell them whom they killed at Nnobi, Anambra State, and they should stop linking IPOB to what happened at Ekwulobia in Aguata, two days ago.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Army is committing secret genocide in Biafraland. The whole world must take note of this atrocities and extrajudicial killings going on in Biafraland in the name of Operation Golden Dawn.

“Particularly, everybody must endeavour to watch the viral videos and pictures where Nigeria soldiers and its sister security agencies shooting innocent villagers in Awgu, Enugu State.

Nigerian security agents were sent into our territory to commit another round of genocide against innocent citizens of Biafra.

“We wonder why Amnesty International, Civil Liberty Organisations and other global rights bodies will keep quiet and allow the Nigerian military to be killing innocent citizens, because they accept to belong to the upcoming Biafra Nation,” the statement said.
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Politics

IPOB’s sit-at-home order politicized – Uzodinma

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The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, said on Wednesday the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) directive in the South-East has been politicized and is no longer obeyed in the state.

He disclosed this to State House correspondent after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Uzodinma and the Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni, accompanied the Anambra State Deputy Governor, Nkem Okeke, to the State House to meet the President.

Okeke formally completed his switch to the APC from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Wednesday.

Uzodinma affirmed that the security situation in Imo State was relatively good.

He, however, lamented that a large number of the state’s resources had been deployed into the provision of security in the state.

The governor said: “The sit-at-home order is also being politicised because those issuing the order are faceless. We have not seen either through newspapers or through broadcast order directing people to sit at home.

Rather, what we know that is happening is this paparazzi mentality of trying to put fear into our people and make innocent people vulnerable.

“As I speak to you, the sit-at-home order is not being obeyed in Imo state. So, I think we need to support the uninformed so that they don’t, out of fear, commit suicide.

“The truth of the matter is that we have security challenges. We had misunderstandings, disagreements, but we are able to also do a lot to bring these things to the barest minimum.

“So, the security situation in Imo State is relatively okay and people are going about their businesses.

“The only regret is that we have invested a lot of money trying to manage insecurity, which of course was not expected.

The management of crime can be likened to the relationship between husband and wife. It’s not everything they do to keep the peace that is discussed in the sitting room.

“Discussion in the bedroom produces a better result than the one in the living room.”

Politics

Uzodinma urges Nigerian govt to compensate South-East for civil war losses

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The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to compensate the people of the South-East for the losses recorded during the country’s civil war of more than 50 years ago.

The governor made the call during the public hearing on the review of the revenue allocation formula held in Owerri, the state capital.

He described the effect of the war as most “devastating,” and urged the federal government to establish a special fund that would address the complaints of people of the region.

According to him, the special fund will provide succour to those who lost their properties and family members during the civil war.

Uzodinma said: “I think the debacles of the civil war led the South-East into a deep poverty level; houses were burnt down and people were killed.

Only recently, a special law was enacted as the North-East Development Commission, arising from the disaster of Boko Haram incidents. But the 30-month civil war that ended in 1970 left the South-East in a state of penury.

“Today, as it stands, the federal government takes home 52.68 percent, state governments, 26.72 per cent, while the 774 local government areas take home 20.60 percent.

“It should not just be about multi-billion-dollar pipeline projects that siphon oil and gas from the state which results to youth restiveness, quantum violence and subsequent deaths.”

Politics

I will use my power to help Uzodinma fight insecurity in Imo – Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to help Governor Hope Uzodinma fight insecurity in Imo state.

He said he would use his constitutional powers to help in fighting insecurity in the state.

The president spoke during the commissioning of Egbeada-Onitsha bypass road in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

He then pledged to help deal with infrastructural deficits of the state.

Buhari said: “I have gone round and I am impressed with what I saw. A society without security and infrastructure will not progress and luckily this is where my vision has tallied with the governor of Imo State. I will use my power as enshrined by the constitution to make the governor achieve more.”

Earlier in his speech, the governor urged the president to deal permanently with the issues of insecurity and flooding which he said was ravaging Owerri.

Politics

Uzodinma urges Nigerians to adhere to rule of law in wake of NDA attacks

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Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo has called on Nigerians to adhere to the rule of law in the aftermath of bandits’ attacks on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

Uzodinma made this call on Wednesday when he briefed State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Governor further appealed to those in leadership positions to protect the sanctity of the nation by upholding the Rule of Law.

According to him, all citizens must condemn criminal activities whenever they occur and justice must be served on whoever is found wanting.

Speaking on the backdrop of Tuesday’s attack on the Nigeria Defence Academy Kaduna, Uzodinma said people must not take the laws into their hands no matter their grievance.

“The business of government is the protection of lives and property and we must act as a government and live up to the responsibilities of government.

“So, we try to maintain law and order and condemn illegal and criminal activities as well as make those who are apprehended to face the law.

So many people are taking laws into their own hands and some aggrieved people have resorted to self-help. Illegality upon illegality is still illegality.

“But all we try to do is to appeal to our people because collectively, I am almost certain that if all of us agree today that unknown gunmen and bandits must stop, they will stop.

“Somehow, some people tacitly and otherwise are still allowing and encouraging these criminals to harass and intimidate innocent citizens.

“I will call on all of us as leaders, as Nigerian to protect the sanctity of our nation and protect the interest of our country by ensuring that we respect and obey the Rule of Law and do things that are allowed by law and condemn illegal and criminal activities.

It’s condemnable, it’s unfortunate that people kill human beings these days as if they are killing rams,’’ he said.

Politics

South-East govs wade into Uzodinma, Okorocha impasse, call for peace

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The South-East Governors Forum has waded into the current political impasse between the Imo State Government and the state’s former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the state Governor, Hope Uzodinma had on Sunday, February 21, 2021, ordered the arrest of Okorocha for allegedly breaking into the Royal Spring Palm Apartment, Owerri, which was sealed by the Imo government on Feb. 19, 2021.

The Chairman of the forum, Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Francis Nwaze on Monday said that the forum was already handling the issue.

According to Umahi, contacts have already been made to resolve the impasse and assured that both parties have agreed to a truce.

The statement read: “South-east leaders are capable of settling their disputes internally instead of washing their linen in public.

“We sue for calm among the supporters of both leaders to ensure a timely and amicable resolution of the disagreement.”

The forum’s chairman urged Imo and south-east citizens to conduct their business peacefully and according to the law, while urging them to also shun provocative statements as the forum works towards restoring normalcy to the situation.

Politics

Uzodinma imposes curfew on 10 local government councils in Imo over gunmen attack

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The Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, has imposed a dusk-to dawn curfew in 10 local government areas of the state over Monday’s killing and maiming of innocent citizens by gunmen in the state.

Uzodinma, who reacted to the incident in a statement on Monday evening, said the curfew runs from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily.

The affected local government areas are – Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideato North, Ideao South, Njaba, Isu, Nwangele and Nkwerre.

He also ordered security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act and bring them to book.

Uzodinma said: “This afternoon, I received a very disturbing report on the activities of a group of militants who unleashed a shooting spree in the Orlu area of the state, killing and maiming innocent citizen in the process

“I am totally appalled by this sad report which appears to paint a picture of near breakdown of law and order in the Orlu area. The government condemns in its entirety this act of extreme hooliganism and brigandage.

“This is completely unacceptable to this administration. Those behind this callous barbarism will surely regret their actions.

“Consequently, I have directed the security agencies to fish out without fail, all those behind the carnage and immediately bring them to book. Let no one be in any doubt that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will ever escape justice. I assure them that they will pay for their cruelty against a peace-loving and innocent people.

“As an interim measure to immediately restore the peace in Orlu zone, a dusk to dawn curfew (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) is hereby imposed in the following Local Government Areas of Orlu zone; namely; Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideato North, Ideao South, Njaba, Isu, Nwangele and Nkwerre.

“All law-abiding citizens are advised to comply strictly with the curfew as announced. Anyone caught violating the curfew will be treated as a suspect.

“The government wants to assure all Imo people that the situation in Orlu area is under control. Security operatives have been deployed on a 24-hour patrol of the zone. Equally, every security measure necessary has been put in place to ensure that law-abiding citizens can go about their businesses in the affected areas without any fear of molestation.”

Uzodinma condoled with the families of victims of the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to book.

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