NEWS
Imo Security Challenges: Buhari Receives Briefing From Uzodinma
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja received briefing from Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo on security challenges as well as socio-economic developments in the state.
Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the closed door meeting, Uzodinma expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the consultations with the president.
“I came to see the president to consult with him and I had a very good consultation and the president received me well.
“I’m satisfied with the quality of discussion I had with him,’’ he said.
The governor revealed that normalcy had been restored in Imo, saying socio-economic activities had resumed across the state.
“So far, the situation is relatively okay in Imo state than it was…. Imo is okay now, people can come around, do their businesses, normal life and normal activities have resumed in Imo state.
“The security agencies are on top of the situation,’’ he said.
Uzodinma, however, solicited for the support and cooperation of all citizens of the state in maintaining law and order in the state, saying he alone could not guarantee security in the state.
He, therefore, stressed the need for other stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, and politicians, among others to engage more with the people to restore peace in the state.
The governor frowned at those former political office holders, who deliberately failed to speak out against the activities of trouble makers in the state, saying such people were not helping matters and “they have questions to answer’’.
He said if they had been speaking out in condemnation of the unwholesome activities of those destabilising the country, things would have been different.
“I am saying and I want to say it again, that cases of insecurity here and there in the country have not been helped by the posture of opposition party and some aggrieved politicians.
“Reason being that at the time like this in Nigeria, anybody worth his onions as a leader should be able to speak out. How many of them are speaking out? How many of them are condemning what is going on?
“Rather what you see are leaders fanning the embers of insecurity, blaming only government.
“We must be tired of this blame thing by now and then contribute our own quota towards ensuring that national security is not further threatened in the country.
“So it is not something for politics. It’s something that if you are a former senate president, and you are a former speaker, or a former deputy senate president, or a former deputy speaker, and things like this are happening in the country, and you are not able to speak out, and we’re not seeing you where you are engaging in addressing the young men and women in your area on the need for united Nigeria.
“And this is a country that have given you opportunity to serve and that level one time or the other, then it is either overtly or covertly, you have a question to answer.’’
The governor also expressed the hope that more state governors in the opposition parties would soon defect to All Progressives Congress (APC) across the country.
He said: “Not just from the south East, many governors in Nigeria will join the APC, because it’s not only the ruling party, it is the party that is today in government and they have seen in good conscience, speaking honestly, you’ve seen that this government, part of the problem of this government is the deliberate attempt by some group of people to pull down the government.
“Nobody is telling me that this government is not performing, that salaries are not being paid or that the roads are not being constructed or the railway is not going or the various intervention funds to empower our youths are not being given out.
“Nobody has come in concrete terms to accuse this government of one failure or the other.
“All we hear is that herdsmen and farmers are fighting and for that reason 200 people are kidnapped. People are shot down there, people are killed there. What do you want government to do? We must be realistic.
“I believe in pragmatism. I believe in doing things right. Can anybody come and tell me one, two, three, four reasons why this APC should not win in the next election?
“Nobody has said that, I’ve not read either in any newspaper. All I hear is that because of insecurity this, insecurity that but you send people out in the night to go and cause trouble and use it in day to blame government.
He also warned that those who had been destroying government property must be ready to face the consequences. (NAN)
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, Thursday and Jan.1, 2025 as public holidays.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on Monday in Abuja.
According to Ajani, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said that the public holidays were to enable citizens to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and the New Year respectively.
“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal.
“As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” the Minister.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and to strengthen bonds across families and communities.
He assured citizens of the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.
He further expressed confidence in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu’s administration for a better and prosperous economy in 2025.
The Minister, on behalf of the federal government sent warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.(NAN)
Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning properties within the premises, including a vehicle.
The palace, located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00 am on Saturday.
The Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union were planning to host the 2nd edition of the Nupe Natives end-of-the-year event, tagged “Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta,” on Dec.
21, 2024, before the incident occurred.The event was, however, aborted due to the unfortunate attack.
Dauda-Shelika said this on Monday in Lokoja that he heard a big bang on my door at around 1 am.
“I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car that was set ablaze by attackers.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace, and therefore I could not come out because of fear of being attacked. So, I managed to come out through the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Thereafter, I came out to the road and realised that all my neighbours in the community were on the ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.”
The traditional ruler appealed to the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
He admonished Nupe natives in Lokoja to avoid any reprisal attack but continue to remain peaceful and law abiding and allow the government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the attack.
“We are appealing to Gov. Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to please use their good offices to investigate this unfortunate incident and bring to justice whoever is concerned, whether directly or indirectly.
“We also want the government to kindly visit our issues by recognising and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja, which had been in existence before colonisation,” he said.
He stated that the Lokoja Local Government Area chairman and his security team came for an on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning, as well as the police and other security outfits.
The National President, Nupe Natives Union Lokoja, Alh. Abubakar Ndashite, said the event scheduled for Saturday was a celebration of Nupe cultural heritage and not any form of coronation as being insinuated from some quarters.
Ndashite, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee, said the aborted event was to project the Nupe spirit and culture as well as the rich history of the diversely composed Lokoja community and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence among her.
He expressed his displeasure over the aborted cultural event, noting that the union had expended so much on it, and urged the government to bring perpetrators to book. (NAN)
The Abia Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of eight persons with two others injured in a road traffic crash that occurred along the Bende-Ohafia Road.
A statement by the Sector Commander, Mrs Ngozi Ezeoma, on Monday in Umuahia said that the crash occurred on Sunday along the Mmuri River axis of the road in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
She said the crash involved a Trailer carrying chippings which hit and fell on a Sharon Volkswagen vehicle with 10 persons on board.
“At the time of the crash eight persons had died including a woman standing by the roadside and three were injured.
“The injured victims were taken to the hospital while the dead ones were deposited at the morgue,” she said.
Ezeoma said that preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused by dangerous driving and excessive speeding. (NAN)
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