GOVERNOR Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has taken exception to comments that President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed over the spate of insecurity in Imo State, saying those who harbour such thoughts are the ones behind banditry in the state.
The Governor also raised the alarm that members of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State have become targets of attack by politicians and their collaborators who are behind the banditry and killings.
He spoke, yesterday, at the wedding ceremony of Chinedu, son of business mogul and politician, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, which was held at the Cathedral Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord, CATOL, Owerri.
Governor Uzodimma said wicked politicians have decided to hold Imo State captive, killing innocent ones and burning public and private property of Imo citizens, all in the name of politics.
He urged the Church and the congregation to pray for such persons to repent.
Speaking earlier on Sunday while addressing the congregation at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Ozuh Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, Governor Uzodimma reiterated that the killings going on in the State are politically contrived hence needless for anyone to point fingers at President Buhari or himself as instrumental to the wicked act as “some soulless persons” are wont to do.
“I pray that God will touch the hearts of these people who are sponsoring the killing of innocent ones, burning houses and destroying public property in the name of politics.”
To buttress his point that wicked and mindless politicians are behind the killings in Imo, the Governor said it beats the imagination that in the incident which took place at Ogberuru in Orlu last week all the victims – Ward Chairman, Ward Secretary and Woman leader – were of the APC.
“I have crosschecked since the inception of this mindless blood-letting in Orlu, Orsu and other communities in the zone, not one Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a person has died, their houses burnt or attacked. It is clear to me therefore that these killings are the handiwork of politicians who are after the APC members,” the Governor said.
He warned that the killings must stop now as his government is neither weak nor lacking in the zeal to deal with the perpetrators except that his administration has zero-tolerance for blood-letting.
Governor Uzodimma wondered how the burning of police stations, local government headquarters and the killing of innocent and hapless citizens could help to advance the course or aspiration of any politician.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have said that they would not respond to the comments of Governor Uzodimma blaming politicians for the killings in Imo.
Recall that Uzodimma and IPOB had been pointing accusing fingers at each other over the incessant killings and destruction of properties in Imo state.
The IPOB had accused the Governor of using security operatives to kill its members and those of the Eastern Security Network, ESN.
IPOB’s Media and Publicity Officer, Comrade Emma Powerful, said there was no need to join issues with the Governor because they know why he was saying that.
“IPOB is not a violent group neither do its members involve in violence or killings of anybody; so we won’t say anything about that Hope Uzodimma statement because we know why he is making that comment,” Powerful said