...Promises to set up Panel of Inquiry

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has vowed to unmask and bring to justice, all those behind last weekend’s killing of security operatives and extensive destruction of property at Izombe in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.

Uzodinma has also promised that government would set up a Panel of Inquiry that would be charged with unravelling the immediate and remote causes of the crises and make recommendations that would help stop further occurrence.

News Expressreports that a Public Relations expert and Communications Consultant, Dr. Walter Duru, had, in a statement at the weekend, berated Imo State government for keeping silent over the alleged killing, maiming, destruction of property worth billions of naira and burning of about 70 houses in Umuokwu in Izombe, Oguta local government area by invading soldiers from 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze last Friday.

Duru who also called for the launching of a high-powered thorough investigation into the dastardly act, expressed shock that a government could keep quiet when such a calamity has befallen her people.

In a statement he issued on Sunday endorsed by his Media assistant, Destiny Ugor, Duru described as shocking, the continued silence of Uzodimma over the unfortunate incident in Izombe, which rendered thousands of indigenes of the area homeless.

He argued that Governor Uzodimma’s decision to leave the people to their fate was a bad example, describing it as unfortunate.

According to Duru, “on Friday, October 8, 2021, heavily armed men, suspected to be soldiers from the 34 Field Artillery Brigade, Obinze, invaded Umuokwu village in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, where they burnt over seventy houses, destroyed property worth billions of Naira and rendered thousands of people homeless.”

“72 hours after the unfortunate incident, no official of the Imo State government has said one word, not to talk of visiting the area. The body language of the present administration in Imo State is very dangerous. It sends a strong signal that those in authority do not care about the wellbeing of the citizens, else, how could a government be so insensitive that an incident of that magnitude occurred in the state and the government is not concerned?” he queried

“I mean that soldiers invaded a community in your state, killed, maimed, destroyed property worth billions of Naira, set about seventy houses ablaze and three days after, the State Government has shown no concern?” he added.

In what appears to be a reaction to Duru’s outburst, Uzodinma addressed newsmen on Monday in the company of military and police authorities, and expressed dismay over the ugly incident, saying that bandits confronted the Military Patrol, burnt their vehicle, abducted and killed two soldiers, and made away with their riffles.

“The recent happenings have brought to the fore the earlier State's directive that anybody, no matter how highly placed, who is in possession of any weapon should return it to the Security Agencies.

“Regrettably, the time given for such had elapsed. Therefore, anybody still keeping any weapon runs the risk of being arrested and prosecuted and made to face the full weight of the law.”

“Government will go out to fully implement that directive and ensure that all bandits, no matter where they are, are discovered and brought to book,” he vowed.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor, Oguwike Nwachukwu, quoted the Governor as saying that it was no longer pardonable for the people or group of persons to take laws into their hands, regretting that banditry, violence, kidnapping and other forms of crime and criminality have been on the increase since the jail break in Owerrri that saw criminals melt into the streets.

“The evidence of their activities is manifested in what happened at Izombe Community where one of those who confronted the military was an escapee from Owerri Prisons. Fortunately or otherwise, the hoodlum was killed by the soldiers in the confrontation,” the Governor disclosed.

According to Oguwike, the Governor sent his condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers and statesmen who died in the mayhem in the course of service to their fatherland and assured that their sudden death would not be allowed to go in vain.

He reiterated that Government would do all within its powers to support the security agencies, no matter what it will cost, to ensure peace fully returns to Imo State.

Uzodimma also promised to visit Izombe Community to get first-hand information of what transpired with a view to setting up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the causes and effects of what transpired.