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Tag: Imo State

  • I Begged Buhari To Help Me Deal With IPOB Militants In Imo – Uzodinma

    I Begged Buhari To Help Me Deal With IPOB Militants In Imo – Uzodinma

    Imo state governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, says he invited the Federal Government to help him deal with militants disturbing the peace in the state.

    A recent military operation in Orlu district of Orlu Local Government Area of the state has attracted criticism from many who condemned it as a heavy-handed approach.

    Uzodinma said on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, that he begged President Muhammadu Buhari for assistance because of the threat posed by the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a security outfit set up by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    He said the outfit was responsible for a reign of terror in the Orlu area, including the killing and raping of women.

    The governor said the problem was too much for his government to handle, prompting him to demand federal assistance.

    “There was a need for me to report the situation and that I did and we were supported to deal with the situation.

    “It is not about crushing anybody and those that came didn’t do any crushing,” he said.

    The governor also said that contrary to media reports, no one was killed by the military during the operations that took place last week.

    He said many suspects were caught with weapons stolen from the Police and Army, and that they will be charged to court soon.

    IPOB was declared a terrorist organisation in 2017 after numerous confrontations with the military.

    Its leader Nnamdi Kanu has been a fugitive for years, escaping the country after he was charged with treasonable felony

  • COVID:19 Violators in Imo risk six months jail term, N20,000 fine – Gov. Uzodinma

    COVID:19 Violators in Imo risk six months jail term, N20,000 fine – Gov. Uzodinma

    Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, in a live broadcast on Friday said that henceforth, violators of COVID-19 protocol in the state will serve a jail term of six months or pay the sum of 20,000 naira for their release if caught by the state task force.

    The Governor regretted the complacent attitude of most Imo people towards the invasion of the virus, describing it as mere self delusion.

    He said that the wearing of face mask will henceforth be enforced with a renewed vigour and charged the state COVID-19 task force led by Prof. Maurice Iwu to arrest and prosecute anyone seen in public without putting their face mask on.

    According to him, “four mobile courts have been put in place, two in the state capital and one each in Orlu and Okigwe zones, to try offenders.

    “The penalty for not wearing face mask is a maximum jail term of six months or N20,000 in lieu.

    “The Executive Order also provides that any gathering of more than 50 persons anywhere in the state is an offense. The conveners of such gatherings also risk six months jail or N20, 000 in lieu.

    “All hotels, eateries, supermarkets and stores are by this order compelled to provide hand sanitizers, wash hand stands, test the temperature of their customers and insist on face masks before admitting them into their premises.

    “Any store, supermarket, eatery, night club and hotel that fails to adhere to these rules will be promptly shut down. In addition, the proprietors will be prosecuted.

    “These measures equally apply to all religious gatherings, marriages and funerals. If it is clear from the realities on ground that extra or more stringent measures must be taken to keep our people safe, I will have no choice but to authorize a second lockdown in the state.

    “For those who still don’t believe that coronavirus is real, may I announce to you that this second wave is not only real but deadly. Let us be guided accordingly,” he concluded.

  • Man dies in Imo over bride price payment

    Man dies in Imo over bride price payment

    An electrician, Bright Odi (33), has died after he was allegedly kicked on the scrotum by Victor Iwu at Umueje Obinze, Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Iwu and Odi were allegedly quarrelling on how to share the bride price of their sister who got married on Sunday.

    It was gathered that the victim fell and started writhing in pains after the kick. He was rushed to the hospital where he died the following day.

    Angry youths yesterday besieged Iwu’s family home and set it ablaze when they didn’t meet him there

    The nterim Chairman of Owerri West, Okechukwu Enyioha, said he has called security agencies to take over the matter.

    Police spokesman Orlando Ikeokwu said the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, has ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal and Intelligence Department for investigation.

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  • Gov. Uzodimma relaxes curfew from 6pm-6am

    Gov. Uzodimma relaxes curfew from 6pm-6am

    Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, on Saturday relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state following the wanton destruction unleashed in some parts of the state during #Endsars protest across the country.

    The governor who announced this during a state broadcast on Saturday, said as the situation in the state and the country gradually returns to normal, “it is necessary to relax the curfew announced on Wednesday.”

    Consequently, he said the curfew will now start from 6pm to 6am everyday for now, adding that those on approved essential services are however exempted from the curfew.

    He commended the youths across the country in general and in Imo State in particular for heeding to President Muhammadu Buhari and his calls to end the protests.

    He also lauded the youths from across the country in general for conducting themselves responsibly during the #EndSARS protests by pulling out after making their grievances known, noting that the unfortunate destruction of government facilities and private property in Imo in the guise of protests afterwards was the handiwork of mercenaries hired to wreak havoc in the state.

    Governor Uzodimma also announced the immediate release of N2 billion as take-off fund for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of a comprehensive youth empowerment scheme in the state.

    The money will be taken out of the N6 billion the government has earmarked for an accelerated youth empowerment programme in Imo.

    “I am glad to announce to you therefore that my government has approved an immediate release of a take-off fund of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) out of N6,000,000,000 (Six Billion Naira) earmarked for an accelerated youth empowerment programme.

    “The N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) take off fund will be deployed for the training of the first batch of the beneficiaries of this scheme which will commerce next week,” the governor explained.

    The empowerment programme, the governor said, is targeted at an estimated 500,000 Imo youths to be trained in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd batches in different skills acquisition programmes within the next two years, including providing them with start-up capital to begin their own enterprises.

    “The training will come under the Imo State Special Youth Empowerment and Intervention Programme (IMYEIP) and to be overseen by the State’s Ministry of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship.”

  • Imo NUJ demands apology from state Assembly, NSCDC over assault on journalists

    Imo NUJ demands apology from state Assembly, NSCDC over assault on journalists

    Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council, has demanded an unreserved apology from authorities of the Imo State House of Assembly and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, over the rising wave of brutal attacks on journalists in the state by some overzealous security operatives and politicians.

    The union declared that it would no longer tolerate any such cruelty in the future insisting that those supposedly aggrieved as a result of a news report, should not take laws into their hands by resorting to violent attacks on the reporters.

    In a statement issued at the weekend by the council in reaction to the recent physical assault on its members, Mr Ike Nwosu of the Eastern Lead Newspaper and Mr Ndubueze Nwokoma of the Newspoint.

    The statement signed by the state chairman, Comrade Chris Akaraonye and the secretary, Comrade Juliet Dim, decried the alleged brutal attacks and manhandling of Mr Nwosu and Nwokoma by aides to the member representing Oguta state constituency, Hon. Frank Ugboma and the Civil Defence.

    Akaraonye, who hinted that the union was investigating the circumstances surrounding the separate attacks, particularly flayed the NSCDC operative who allegedly attacked Nwokoma with the butt of his rifle and thereby inflicted bodily injury on him.

    The union described the attacks as unwarranted and recalled that Imo public still remember with pains the gruesome killing of a 2019 senatorial candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, Hon. Ndubuisi Emenike, by a trigger-happy operative of the NSCDC.

    “It was alleged that aides to the member representing Oguta State Constituency, Hon. Frank Ugboma manhandled and inflicted bodily injuries to Ike Nwosu at the House of Assembly complex over a news report that did not go down well with the lawmaker.

    “Also, we have been briefed of the physical assault on Ndubueze Nwokeoma by a security personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for allegedly parking his car in a wrong place.

    The leadership of NUJ, Imo State Council, wishes to state that we condemn any physical assault on journalists, especially our members by security agents or overzealous aides of anybody no matter the level of provocation.

    “The leadership and members of the NUJ in Imo State will no longer tolerate any further attack on our members and other media practitioners no matter the level of grievances.

    “In the interim, the leadership of the NSCDC and Imo State House of Assembly should take responsibility for the treatment of our colleagues while we seek for peaceful resolutions on the issues. We also demand an unreserved apology for the physical assaults on our members,” partly the statement read.

    The chairman disclosed that the union had commenced a process to revalidate its members in the state, and assured of the continued cooperation of the union in moving the state forward.