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Tag: Imo State

  • Gov Uzodimma Appeals to Imo Residents, Seeks End To Violence in the State

    Gov Uzodimma Appeals to Imo Residents, Seeks End To Violence in the State

    Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo has called on the people of the state, especially aggrieved residents to shun violence and embrace peace.

    He pleaded that it was about time they turned a new leaf to prevent the state from slipping into a killing field where the blood of innocent residents flow freely.

    The governor made the plea in his Easter message to the people in which he re-echoed his call on sponsors and perpetrators of violence to sheath their swords and give a chance for reconciliation.

    He also apologised to those who feel offended by any of the policies or actions of the state government under his leadership.

    In the spirit of the Easter season, Governor Uzodimma urged such persons to go through the proper legal channels to lodge their grievances.

    He gave an assurance that the government would look into them and ensure all efforts to resolve them to ensure peace returns to the state.

    According to the governor, it is important for the people to embrace peace for the sake of their children and their unborn children even as violence is alien to their culture.

    He wished the people a happy Easter celebration and urged them not to relent in their prayers for peace in Imo and other states across the country.

    Read the full text of Governor Uzodinma’s message below:

    It is with a profound sense of joy and gratitude to Almighty God that I send my warm felicitations to all the good people of Imo State on this auspicious occasion of the 2022 Easter celebration.

    Given the many challenges we passed through between last year’s Easter and now, we should all be joyful and grateful to the Lord who has protected us and given us the opportunity to see this year’s Easter celebration. To the glory of God, we all weathered the storm and are here to join billions of Christians across the globe to joyfully shout “Hallelujah, Christ is risen”.

    While we shout hallelujah and celebrate Easter, we must also reflect on the true meaning of Christ’s resurrection for Christians and for all of humanity. Often, we concentrate on the religiosity of the season without the necessary appreciation and deeper understanding of what Jesus Christ demonstrated by dying on the Cross.

    As we know, Jesus had the power to refuse or reject death. Remember, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and healed many sick people. Therefore, He had the power to say no to death. Instead, He chose to die for our salvation – Just to save us from our own sins. This is love beyond measure, and the Holy Bible records it as the greatest love of all time in John Chapter 3 vs. 16: ‘‘for God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son so that everyone one who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life “This is sacrifice beyond understanding.

    Easter, therefore, offers us the opportunity to rethink the essence of our humanity. As clearly defined by Jesus Christ, the essence of our humanity is to love God, to love one another, and to be ready and willing to make sacrifices for the love of humanity.

    The Bible also reminds us that the best way to Love God is to love humanity. This is because if we do not love our brothers and sisters whom we see every day, we definitely cannot love God whom we do not see.

    As we celebrate this year’s Easter we should ask ourselves these pertinent questions as Christians who profess the love of God: Do we truly follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ? Do we love our fellow human beings as Christ loved us or are we part of those spreading hate and violence against humanity? How much love have we shown to our state, Imo, and our country, Nigeria?

    Can we give up our inordinate ambition for the sake of peace and stability of Imo State? Can we sacrifice our ego for the progress of Imo State and her people? Can we lay down our arms, not our lives, so that people can walk the streets freely in pursuit of their legitimate means of livelihood?

    It is truly ironic and disheartening that over ninety percent of both the actors and sponsors of insecurity in Imo State and indeed all over Igboland, claim to be Christians.. Are these Christians the true followers of Christ? Do they even remember the 5th commandment which says; “Thou shalt not kill”? The answer should be obvious,

    Let us, therefore, use the occasion of this Easter celebration to purge ourselves of those acts that at best make us hypocrites and at worst enemies of Christ. My brothers and sisters, having gone through the period of lent when we were expected to sanctify ourselves for Christ through fasting, prayers, and almsgiving, it behooves on us to soberly reflect on our contributions to the growth of Christian love which we profess and to the peace of our state.

    Are we part of the problem or part of the solution? Are we responsible for the raging insecurity claiming the lives of innocent people or are we assisting Government to halt the carnage? Are we in a position to help reduce the menace of insecurity in the state?

    In several fora, I have literally gone on my knees to appeal to the sponsors and perpetrators of these senseless killings to sheath their swords and embrace peace and reconciliation irrespective of whatever grudges they may have. I have also asked for forgiveness from anyone who feels offended by any of the policies or actions of the Government of Imo State which I lead currently.

    In the spirit of the Easter season, I would like to repeat this appeal for forgiveness, peace and reconciliation in our state. Heaven will bear me witness that I have always placed the welfare of the people of Imo State above other considerations while taking decisions as Governor of Imo State. It is also on record that I have gone to very great lengths to provide succour to many citizens of the state who were aggrieved by some of the actions of my predecessors.

    As peace-loving people, I appeal to you to follow the proper channels to lay down any complaints you may have. As I have done before, I promise to look into these complaints and make all efforts to resolve them to the best of my ability. I am using the period of Easter which symbolises peace, brotherliness, forgiveness, reconciliation, love, and sacrifice to appeal to everyone to embrace peace for the sake of our children and their unborn children.

    Violence is alien to our culture. Let us do away with it. How will our forebears – Chief K. O. Mbadiwe, Dee Sam Mbakwe, Chief Evan Enwerem, Chief Collins Obi, Chief R. B. K. Okafor, and Chief H. S. K. Osuji be feeling in their graves? Will they be pleased to see that the state they handed over to us has become a killing field where the blood of innocent women, children, and men now flows freely like the blood of animals?

    On behalf of my family and the Government and the people of Imo State, I wish everyone a happy Easter celebration. Let us never relent in our prayers for peace in Imo State and Nigeria. I am confident that the peace we seek is within reach and with peace, the sky will be our limit.

    May God Almighty kindly grant our prayers for peace and prosperity in Imo State. Amen.

    Happy Easter to all of us

    Sen Hope Uzodimma

    Governor

  • 150 Suspected Criminals Arrested In Imo – Imo CP

    150 Suspected Criminals Arrested In Imo – Imo CP

    A total of 150 suspects have been arrested in connection with terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery in Imo State, the police have said.

    According to the Commissioner of Police in Imo, Rabiu Hussaini, the suspects were arrested within a period of one year, specifically between January 2021 and January 2022.

    He made the disclosure on Friday while briefing the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, who visited the Police Command Headquarters in Owerri, the state capital.

    Giving a breakdown of the figure, Hussaini explained that 105 of those apprehended were suspected kidnappers and the remaining 45 were suspected terrorists.

    He admitted that he met a series of security challenges on the ground on his assumption of office to take charge of the command in August last year.

    For the police commissioner, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and others are to be blamed for the problems.

    He, however, thanked the governor for his support which he said led to the vigorous and aggressive attacks on the terror groups and the decimation of their camps.

    Hussaini revealed that the police were collaborating with traditional rulers, youth, and religious leaders, among other stakeholders on community policing.

  • Suspected yahoo boys seen defecating and ‘eating’ their excretra at IMSU junction in Owerri, Imo state (Pictures)

    Suspected yahoo boys seen defecating and ‘eating’ their excretra at IMSU junction in Owerri, Imo state (Pictures)

    Suspected yahoo boys seen defecating and ‘eating’ their excretra at IMSU junction in Owerri, Imo state

    A video going viral on the internet captured the moment some boys defecated and ate their own poo at IMUS junction in Owerri, Imo State.

    In the very disturbing clip, the two young men went to the junction with a potty, sat on itand began to excrete in the potty.

    Another shocking moment was when one of them who was holding a loaf of bread inserted a piece of the bread in his buttcrack, ate some of the bread and gave some to his colleague.

    Some members of the public are giving these young men a benefit of doubt that they might have been acting a movie/comedy skit,

  • Officer Shot Dead Inside Imo Police Station

    Officer Shot Dead Inside Imo Police Station

    A police inspector has been gunned down at Mgbidi Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo State.

    The officer was killed when gunmen launched an attack on the station in the late hours of Friday.

    Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Michael Abattam, confirmed the attack but said the gunmen were repelled.

    “On 14th January, 2022 at about 20:45 hours, the Command’s Tactical teams at Mgbidi Police Station repelled an attack by some hoodlums who came in a white hilux vehicle shooting sporadically, attempted to gain entrance into the station but were repelled by the ever gallant Imo Command’s Tactical teams and the police operatives of the division who positioned themselves professionally.”

    “They engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel. In the process, the attackers were suppressed almost immediately, having suffered a huge defeat, with a number of them sustaining various degrees of bullet wounds, they retreated and escaped in the Toyota Hilux vehicle they came with. And were given a hot chase by the police operatives.

    “Consequently, a vigorous and aggressive manhunt of the hoodlums is ongoing with the sole aim of tracking and arresting the fleeing hoodlums since they cannot go far because of the huge damage done to them.

    “However, in the course of the attack, a police Inspector lost his life, while another sustained minor bullet injury on his hand.

    “Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police CP Rabiu Hussaini, commended the officers and men for their gallantry and urged them not to relent in their efforts until all criminal elements and their partners are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

    “He then appealed to Imolites for the continuous support and collaboration by giving security agencies especially the Police, credible and timely information and to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within the community to the nearest police station for prompt action.”

  • Nwosu’s Arrest: The Mystery Of ‘Unknown Gunmen’ In Imo Is Now Unravelling – Okorocha

    Nwosu’s Arrest: The Mystery Of ‘Unknown Gunmen’ In Imo Is Now Unravelling – Okorocha

    Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha on Tuesday suggested that elements described as ‘unknown gunmen’ in Imo State may soon be revealed after the arrest of Uche Nwosu.

    Okorocha, a serving Senator at the National Assembly, made the comment while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

    According to him, Nwosu’s arrest at a church on Sunday gave a glimpse into how the Imo State government carries out criminal acts with policemen attached to Government House.

    The Imo State Government has said Mr. Nwosu’s arrest was part of an independent police investigation and that Mr. Okorocha was attempting to politicise the issue.

    Mr. Nwosu, who has since been released by the police, was a candidate in the Imo gubernatorial election of 2019.

    In a press conference on Tuesday, he said his arrest was politically motivated.

    The police are yet to publicly comment on the matter.

    Okorocha Said;

    “What is happening in Imo state is unfortunate. And not just Imo, but the entire nation and humanity. Imo State is becoming a banana republic, where there is complete lawlessness and where people live in fear. There is no day that somebody is not being killed, harassed.

    “It appears as if the happenings in Imo state have some backing from Abuja. That’s what I could figure out. And there seems to be enmity between the people here and the presumed federal government of Nigeria just because of a communication gap.

    “Most people have been wondering about the mystery of unknown gunmen. But it appears to me now that unknown gunmen have finally been unraveled with the recent happenings.

    “Unknown gunmen now is a set of policemen from Government House who, without the consent of the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, or the DIGs, but on their own on the instruction of the government of Imo State, led by Hope Uzodinma, and his CSO, Shaba, who give directives to arrest people at will and lock up people at will and sometimes the whereabouts of these people are unknown. They get policemen from the Government House and go to execute unholy acts. And when they run into problems, they quickly say it is the police.”

  • Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son-in-law, arrested in Imo church

    Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son-in-law, arrested in Imo church

    Uche Nwosu, former governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in Imo state, has been arrested by the police operatives.

    A statement issued by Michael Abattam, spokesperson of the Imo police command, said Nwosu was not abducted and is presently in police detention.

    “This is to inform the general public that Chief Uche Nwosu was not kidnapped but was arrested by the police and Imo state police command is aware of the arrest, and presently he is in police custody,” the statement reads.

    “This is to refute the earlier news that has been making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons/gunmen.

    “The Police Commissioner in the state used the medium to assure Imolites of the Command’s commitment in ensuring the safety of lives and properties in the state this festive season.”

    Nwosu was arrested on Sunday during a church thanksgiving service at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Umunwokwe Village Eziama-Obaire Nkwerre LGA had prompted controversies.

    The church thanksgiving service was in honour of his late mother Jemaimah Nwosu, who was laid to rest last Wednesday.

    He is the son-in-law of Rochas Okorocha, a senator and former governor of Imo.

    Earlier on Sunday, gunmen had abducted Charles Mato, the Sum Pyem and paramount ruler of Gindri in Mangu LGA of Plateau.

    Ishaku Takwa, media officer of operation safe haven (OPSH), the military task force maintaining peace in the state, sad the traditional ruler was abducted at his residence.

    He said troops of the task force had been mobilised to the area to conduct search and rescue operations.

  • We’re winning fight against insecurity in Imo – Hope Uzodinma

    We’re winning fight against insecurity in Imo – Hope Uzodinma

    The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has assured residents that his administration is winning the fight against insecurity.

    The governor, who urged Imolites in Diaspora to ignore the propaganda and fabricated social media publications about the security situation in the state, said the state is truly safe.

    He also said his administration would continue to protect, defend the citizens of the state, especially during the festive season.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Declan Emelumba, he stated this while delivering his speech during the grand finale of the 2021 Press Week which was held at the council’s new secretariat, Owerri, Imo State capital.

    The governor thanked Imo journalists for being partners in progress with the reconstruction, recovery and rehabilitation of the present administration.

    He charged media practitioners in the state to always adhere to the ethics of the journalism profession in their reportage; urging them to be wary of social media blackmailers.

    The state Chairman of NUJ, Imo chapter, Chief Chris Akaraonye, in his opening speech commended planning committee members of 2021 press week for the arrangements that made the ceremony a successful outing.

    Akaraonye described the theme: “Media Participation In Security & Economic Development” as timely especially now Imo is being bedevilled with security challenges; and therefore applauded the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Rabiu Hussain for exclusively doing justice to the topic.

    In her vote of thanks, the chairperson, Imo NUJ 2021 Press Week Organizing Committee; Dr. (Mrs) Dorothy Okafor-Nnaji, thanked the Governor for his friendly disposition to the media sector in the state.

    Recall that the 2021 Imo State Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Week with the theme: Media Participation in Security and Economic Development which started on Monday 13th December has come to an end with a Thanksgiving Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church Aladinma.

  • Three dead as gunmen open fire on passersby in Imo

    Three dead as gunmen open fire on passersby in Imo

    Unknown gunmen on Friday evening, November 5, opened fire on passersby at Neokeisima junction Umulogho in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State, killing three on the spot.

    According to The Nation, the shooting which took place around 7.50 pm, caused pandemonium as residents and passersby scampered for safety.

    An eyewitness said the assailants immediately zoomed to Umuahia in Abia State in the car while the victims were soaked with blood.

    Contacted, spokesperson of the State Police Command, CSP Michael Abattam said the police was yet to get report of the incident.

    “I will investigate the incident and get back to you.” he said.

  • Traditional Rulers Shot Dead In Imo

    The traditional institution in Imo state has been thrown into mourning following the killing of two monarchs.

    The traditional rulers were said to be having a stakeholders meeting at Nnenasa, headquarters of Njaba Local Government Area of the state, when hoodlums struck.

    The affected monarchs are Eze E. A Durueburuo, Obi I of Okwudor, and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebinowere autonomous community.

    It was gathered that other traditional rulers at the meeting left with injuries.

    The police spokesperson in the state, Mike Abattam, who confirmed the incident, said that two monarchs were confirmed dead on the spot while the wounded have been taken to hospital for treatment.

  • Anglican priest butchered to death in Imo, his car burnt

    Anglican priest butchered to death in Imo, his car burnt

    Gunmen have killed the priest-in-charge of St Andrew’s Anglican church, Ihitte-Ukwa in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The priest identified as Rev. Emeka Merenu, serving under the Anglican Diocese of Orlu, was butchered to death in his personage on Tuesday morning, September 14, by assailants suspected to be members of the ESN/IPOB.

    Anglican priest butchered to death in Imo, his car burnt

    It was gathered that the priest, a native of Amaorji in Nkwerre in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state, was killed on the unfounded allegation that he brought in soldiers to secure the church and school under his supervision.

    A member of the church, who spoke to Punch in confidence, disclosed that the attackers stormed the church premises and butchered the priest.

    His vehicle was not spared, as the hoodlums set it ablaze before fleeing thereafter.

    “The priest in charge of St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Ihitte-Ukwa in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State was killed this morning. His attackers stormed the church compound where he lived, butchered him and burnt his car before running away.”

    Asked what could be the reason for the murder, the source said, “The church has a school on the premises. His attackers might have been angry that the slain priest was giving security protection to the students of the school who were writing this year’s WASSCE for Senior Secondary schools.”

    A senior member of the church in Orlu Anglican diocese who preferred to be anonymous confirmed the incident to Punch, saying that the diocese has been thrown into mourning.

    Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Micheal Abattam, who confirmed the murder said that investigation had commenced with the intention to arresting the suspects.

    Anglican priest butchered to death in Imo, his car burnt