Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state on Wednesday, 13th of October, 2021 said that the Sit-at-Home ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is been politicised by the opposition party in the state to cause tension and mayhem in the state.
The governor added that the order is no longer been observed in Imo state. He stated this to correspondence at the State House, Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator Uzodinma said he was at the Presidential Villa to personally thank President Muhammed Buhari for visiting Imo state last month to commission "some strategic projects" completed by his 3R government in Imo state.
He further said that he briefed the President on the security situation in the state, adding that Imo was relatively peaceful.
The Imo state governor said that the state government was talking with leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, behind the scene with a view to finding lasting solutions to the insecurity bedeviling the state.
Asked why many Igbo leaders had kept quiet and allowed the insecurity situation to spread across the South Eastern region of the country, Uzodinma hinted that there are behind the scene dialogue.
He however did not disclose the form of dialogue going on and with whom. He said that not all talks are done in the open.
The Governor, who said that the state government has invested a lot of money in security, regretted that over 80 per cent of the people killed as a result of the insecurity in the state are Igbos.
When he was asked if there are any negotiation with IPOB, he said: “The management of crime can be likened to the relationship between husband and wife. It’s not everything they do to keep peace that are discussed at the sitting room"
“As I speak to you, the sit-at-home order is not being obeyed in Imo state.”Uzodinma said.
He said apart from last Monday when according to him there was restriction of movement as a result of the Izombe killings in the state, the people have been going about their normal businesses on Mondays. "the security situation in Imo state is relatively peaceful and people are going about their businesses".
"The truth of the matter is that we have security challenges, we had misunderstanding, disagreement, but we are able to also do a lot to bring these things to barest minimum.
“The only regret is that we have invested a lot of money trying to manage insecurity which of course was not expected.”
He said that peace has returned to Izombe after the clash between an oil bunkering gang and the military which led to lost of lives and destruction of properties. He said that peace has returned to the oil rich community.
