Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo has vowed that his administration will stop at nothing to restore peace and end the killings by suspected gunmen across the state.
Uzodimma made the comment on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel in Owerri, where he condemned the recent killings in Ideato North and expressed condolences to the people of Arondizuogu and the wider Imo community.
He described the attack as the handiwork of “unscrupulous elements” and hinted that those behind the insecurity in the state may not be entirely unknown.
The governor accused unnamed politicians of working to frustrate government efforts to stabilise the state.
“Some wicked politicians are bent on frustrating the efforts of government to restore peace and security in Imo State,” Uzodimma said.
He recalled a similar incident two years ago in which a local government chairman was beheaded in Ideato North, saying the perpetrator had since been arrested and had confessed to the crime.
He stated: “Two years after, we have arrested the man who beheaded him, and the man has confessed as the one who did it and has mentioned some individuals that he is working for.
“Some of them have been invited by the police and they are under interrogation.
“It is not enough for people to come around me here to pretend to be working for me when they are busy participating in conspiracy, eliminating innocent lives and trying to pull down government.
“Activity to make Imo State safe and secure will continue despite all odds.”
He also announced that every community in Imo will have a functional vigilance group within two weeks, funded and equipped by the state government to support security operations.
Uzodimma called for public support and warned political actors against sabotaging security initiatives for personal gain.
“Let us work as brothers and sisters to help restore and achieve the Imo State of our collective dream,” the governor said.