70 per cent of Imo attackers not Igbo, says Uzodimma

• Vows to crush anybody attempting mayhem
• Assures flood-prone areas of attention

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has clarified that over 400 of the suspected mischief-makers in the state have been arrested and undergoing trial at the courts, hinting that 70 per cent of them is non-Igbo.

He, however, vowed to crush any person or group trying to cause mayhem in any part of the state.

Uzodimma disclosed this during Sunday’s church service at the Government House Chaplaincy, Owerri, Imo State. The service was to celebrate the 50th birthday of the chaplain, Rev. Fr. Gilbert Alaribe.

He said: “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.

“Over 400 of those who carried out the threats on the state in the past have been arrested and undergoing trial at the courts. The good thing is that over 70 per cent of them are not Igbo.”

He advised those eager to visit Imo to feel free, as the government is more than ever ready to keep Imo safe.
ALSO, the Imo government has assured flood-prone communities in the state of prompt attention and assistance.

It, however, charged them to be vigilant and report any unusual rise of rivers within the boundaries of the state to appropriate authorities.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Development and Humanitarian Services, Mrs. Calista Anene-Ahmed, gave the assurance yesterday when she visited some affected communities in Oguta Local Council of the state.

She warned against building houses on waterways and urged those living in flood-prone areas to consider relocating to safer ground.

“To assist Governor Uzodimma’s administration to succeed, I have taken the campaign against flooding and early warning measures to vulnerable communities.

“It is better to prevent disaster than to send relief materials to victims. So my office is poised to ensuring that our people do not fall victim to flood again,” she said.

Advising disaster managers to be on alert in case of emergency, she commended Uzodimma for showing interest in the welfare of the less-privileged Imo.

The Minister of Water Resources recently released the 2021 annual flood outlook and listed Imo among 27 states prone to heavy flooding in 2021.

Flood-related disaster has been a yearly occurrence in Oguta and Ohaji/Egbema, with no fewer than 30 houses submerged in 2020.