Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, emphasized the urgent need to restore peace and quell insurgency in the South-East while supporting the call for the extradition of Finland-based separatist Simon Ekpa due to his involvement in the illegal Monday sit-at-home order.
Governor Uzodimma reiterated this stance during a visit from the new General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Enugu, Major General Hassan Dada, at the Government House in Owerri.
He expressed concern about the negative impact of the sit-at-home orders and hoped that security agencies, in collaboration with the Federal Government, would either bring Simon Ekpa back to Nigeria or subject him to the full extent of the law.
During another meeting with traditional rulers and community leaders, Uzodimma sought their support in combating insecurity and encouraged them to disregard any sit-at-home directives and carry on with their lawful activities.
He also discussed intervention programs and incentives from both the state and federal governments to mitigate the economic consequences of fuel subsidy removal.
The discussions with the military commander and community leaders took place after Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), through his counsel, directed Simon Ekpa to refrain from issuing any sit-at-home orders in the South-East.
Major General Dada assured that all non-state actors involved in criminal activities would be pursued and security challenges in the region would be tackled promptly, as per the Chief of Army Staff’s directives. He sought the governor’s and the people’s support in achieving peace in the South-East.
READ ALSO : Breaking: Nnamdi Kanu Releases Handwritten Letter, Declares End To All Sit-At-Home In South-East Region
South-East: New GOC Vows To Restore Peace As Uzodimma, Traditional Rulers Meet
The new GOC, in his address, said his major assignment in the South-East was to stamp out criminality and put an end to all the barbaric killings in the region as directed by the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army.
The new General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Enugu, Major General Hassan Dada, has given an assurance that all non-state actors will be pursued and all forms of criminality stamped out in the region forthwith.
Dada disclosed this on Friday during a familiarisation visit to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State at the Government House in Owerri, the Imo State capital, having just assumed his new office as the GOC 82 Division.
According to him, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has given him a marching order to end insecurity in the South-East without further delay.
The new GOC, in his address, said his major assignment in the South-East was to stamp out criminality and put an end to all the barbaric killings in the region as directed by the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army.
While emphasising that his team would do all it takes to ensure that peace returns to the South-East, he appealed for the support of the Imo governor and indigenes of the state to achieve this feat.
In his remarks, Uzodimma reiterated the need to restore peace and put an end to insurgency in the South-East.
He also spoke on the negative effect of the illegal sit-at-home orders as well as the need to extradite the Finland-based separatist, Simon Ekpa, promising the new GOC and his team his support and that of the people of Imo State.
In a similar vein, the governor met with traditional rulers and community leaders at the headquarters of the Traditional Rulers Council in Owerri where he called for their support in stemming the tide of insecurity and supporting the government and security agencies in fighting crime.
He urged them to shun any sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses.
The governor also used the opportunity to disclose the numerous intervention programmes and incentives lined up from the state and federal governments to cushion the economic effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
These two important meetings came a few hours after the leader of the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, through his counsel, directed Simon Ekpa to refrain from issuing any sit-at-home order in the South-East under any guise.
