Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, has claimed that only those who are closed to his government and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress have been at the receiving end of the unrest, attacks and insecurity in the state.
Speaking on Thursday during a programme on Channels Television, Uzodimma disclosed that politicians are behind insecurity in the state.
Uzodimma’s comment comes days after gunmen attacked the convoy of Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo, with four police officers killed in the incident.
“Today, in my conversation with stakeholders in Imo state, I made it very clear that events of the past have shown clearly that those behind the insecurity in Imo state are politicians and that this insecurity is politically contrived,” Uzodimma said.
“For instance, in that presentation which I did, I came out with a clear position that all the people that have been attacked in Imo state, all the houses that have been burnt down, are members of APC and those very close to my government.
“If you look at it, there is no member of any other political party that has been attacked in Imo state; no member of any other opposition party that his house has been burnt down, and this has continued to happen.
“You just mentioned that of the former governor Ikedi Ohakin. Three days after he summoned a special dinner of Imo stakeholders, encouraged them to support the government of APC, two days after, he was attacked and his security details killed.
“So, I have presented this matter to Imo people and of late, some arrests have been made — some of the kingpins. So, I’ve challenged the security agents in Imo state to make public, as soon as possible, the report of that investigation, and those behind these killings in Imo state be named.
“And they are going to do just that. I’m not going to pretend about that. I’m not going to play politics with the security of Imo state.”
Meanwhile, in December 2022, gunmen killed Christopher Eleghu, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for Onuimo constituency in the Imo state house of assembly.