Amid the angry reactions to the gruesome killing of some youths in Imo State by gunmen suspected to be members of Ebube Agu security outfit, Governor Hope Uzodinma has said his administration “will not be deterred by propaganda and blackmail in his quest to protect the lives and property of Imo citizens.”
Recall that about seven youths returning from a wedding were on Sunday killed in Awo-Omamma, Oru East local council area of the state.
The governor who reacted to the development in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwike Nwachukwu, after the Imo State Security Council meeting, called with regard to the reported killing, said: “Government has been briefed on the incident by the Director of State Services, DSS, in an interim report made available to members of the Security Council.
“The DSS Director confirmed that his men carried out an operation in a camp at Awo-Omamma with the assistance of their informant and not at a wedding place, as claimed by the youths and it was in the process that some bandits were neutralized.”
Uzodimma also said that “while the Security Council awaits detailed report on the incident, it is important that the public are wary of those using the incident as propaganda tool to blackmail the security agencies and the government.”
Governor Uzodimma also used the opportunity to describe as “fallacy”, the claim on the social media and sections of the traditional media, about a 15-year old girl allegedly impregnated in the DSS detention.
His words: “Security report indicated that two ladies were caught with bandits about six months ago and they have been helping the DSS in identifying and arresting other dangerous bandits in the state.
“Incidentally, the so-called 15-year old lady happens to be the girl friend to a key gang leader of the bandits terrorizing the state but on the trail by DSS operatives.
“Security report has shown that the fleeing gang leader had reached out to his sponsors, who have resorted to using the 15-year old lady in question, to blackmail the DSS and divert attention.
“While thing boils down to propaganda and blackmail targeted at the security agencies, know I will never allow anything ungodly to happen in Imo State. Their target is to puncture the relative peace the security agencies have helped us to achieve in Imo State and we are determined to sustain the peace.
“We won’t be deterred and no amount of propaganda and blackmail will deter the Security agencies from doing their work.”
The Governor however, urged newsmen to carry out their own investigation into the cases.
Meanwhile, the ever busy Owerri-Onitsha dual carriage was on Tuesday blocked by angry villagers of Otulu, Awo-Omamma and Mgbidi, to protest the gruesome killing of some youths of the communities, by suspected members of Ebubeagu security outfit.
Vehicle owners were forced to look for alternative routes to their respective destinations, while economic activities in the area came to a halt, as a result of the protest.