Against the perception that he invited security agencies to unleash mayhem on his people in the guise of fighting hoodlums, Governor Hope Uzodinma says those terrorising the state are mostly not from the Igbo tribe.
The state made most headlines since the year began with increased attacks on security facilities and personnel. The militia arm of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Eastern Security Network (ESN) has been accused of being behind the attacks but the secessionist group has severally pushed back that accusation.
Mr Uzodinma, while speaking after a church service at the Government House Chaplaincy in Owerri on Sunday, said he arrived at the conclusion after the interrogation of over 400 suspects arrested in connection to the rising insecurity in the state.
According to his spokesman, Oguwike Nwachuku, who made this known in a statement, the suspects whose tribe were not named are undergoing trials and “the good thing there is that over 70 percent of them are not Igbos.”
Mr Nwachukwu said his principal also vowed to crush anyone hell bent on further causing trouble in the state while urging residents to ignore rumours of a planned attack.
“Imo people and residents should go about their businesses without fear of molestation or harassment,” Mr Uzodinma said. “What happened in the past weeks will never repeat itself again.
“We will crush anybody that attempts to cause mayhem or attack Imo people again. Government cannot surrender to blackmailers, hoodlums and perpetrators of violence who have sworn to make the State ungovernable,” he added.
