Indeed, one day begins a story. And certainly, whatever has a beginning has an end.
Since April the serenity in Imo State was violated by the activities of \u201cUnknown Gunmen\u201d, the State and its inhabitants have been sitting on edge and living in apprehension.
However, with the latest success recorded by security Agencies in the State, it is therefore pertinent to say that soon, Imo State will recover its old peaceful nature.
On Sunday, the security Agencies engaged in a fierce battle with the \u201cUnknown Gunmen\u201d which led to the death of their Kingpin, and capture of one member alive.\u00a0 This is therefore an indication that the Government is nearing the end of the obnoxious operations of the miscreants.
In the Police Report, signed by the Imo State Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Elkena Bala, it was reported that the main Leader of the Criminals keeping Imo State on its knees have not only been neutralized, but has been identified. They called him Dragon. He died in the Sunday battle.
The Police release even added that one of the Gunmen who was caught alive have been singing in custody. This is a major development, as it seems Imo is gradually getting to the root of the chaos and mayhem that have dragged the State backward\u00a0 in miles since April.
I had said it earlier that Government has the mechanism and the machinery to gathered\u00a0 intelligence reports\u00a0 to burst the insurgency that has crippled the State.
Unfortunately, the Government and the Security Agencies had at different points, said different things, as regarding the incidents in the State.
In each case, while the Police maintained its stand till date, as per the source of the bedlam, the Government has been swinging like a pendulum, speaking in different \u201cTongues\u201d.
In some cases, while the Governor, Senator Hope\u00a0 Uzodinma says one thing, his Aides, especially the Commissioner for Information, Hon Declan Emelumba says another.
Even though the Governor remained diplomatic without mentioning names, but he had always stressed\u00a0 that what is happening in Imo State was politically triggered.
However, it his Commissioner for Information,\u00a0 Hon Declan Emelumba, a senior colleague in the pen pushing business , has been emphatic with calling of names. Some of the Governor\u2019s Social Media Hell Raisers have also named those\u00a0 they want to be invited by Security Agents for questioning on the insecurity in the State.
However, despite Imo Governments stance in finger-pointing the Security Organizations had maintained their focus on the task in hand, without being distracted by politicians.
Already, those in Police Net have not mentioned any\u00a0 politician but named the outlawed IPOB as their sources of funding, which is still left for security operatives to unravel.
It is therefore very unfortunate that while the Security Agencies who are well Trained and physically\u00a0 present at the forefront of the Battle against the \u201cGunmen\u201d, and also have the wherewithal to investigate the ugly scenario\u00a0 and give proper\u00a0 information on the situation gives their Reports, the Government counters them with contradictory statements.
Indeed, who between the Government and Security Agencies have\u00a0 the authentic Authority to\u00a0 carry out investigation regarding the alleged purveyors of Mayhem and Chaos in Imo State?
Government should listen to the security operatives whose responsibility is to carry out the true investigation, and stop confusing the masses, with partisan arguments that distort the findings by the police.
The majority of Imo citizens want peace in the State, because in the next twenty years, some families have been so devastated that they cannot come out of the calamity\u00a0 that has befallen them as\u00a0 a result of the reign of terror in Imo.
Therefore, Imo people want an end to this security imbroglio which has destroyed lives, homes, businesses,\u00a0 and even ambitions.
Many people have lost dear ones, others their means of livelihood, yet many their future.
Trying to bring politics into what should be entirely\u00a0 treated as a security matter will extend the\u00a0 issue and jeopardize an already tensed situation.
Let me here commend the Security Agencies in Imo State for resisting the temptation of letting politics derail their sense of Professionalism and patriotism.
No matter the misunderstanding that may be hovering in the air now, Imo State still remains our State, which is the reason every citizen of the State is a Stakeholder and has the right\u00a0 to comment on the developments in the State.
Recently, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP who have been bombarded by the rulling APC to make her\u00a0 input on the ugly situation in the State\u00a0 made a release, where it outlined what it thinks should be the way forward.
Some respected clergy including Archbishop Anthony Obinna have also added their voices on the matter, which is now left for the sitting Government to decide which to take and\u00a0 what to jettison from these Advises.
However, the PDP Release dominated the air as Government reacts on the call on Governor Uzodinma to resign by the PDP.
Many people are seeing the call as an abomination, forgetting that what that means is that Uzodinma should sit up and control the situation. As an opposition party, the party has the right to check on the activities of the sitting Government, especially when the situation is as dicey as it is in Imo State today.
Since the inception of Imo State, the State has never\u00a0 be thrown into such a near collapse situation, where deaths are recorded any day the Miscreants struck.
Therefore, it is quite unfortunate that because PDP asked the Governor to Resign, the party was suddenly accused of sponsoring violence in the State.
Such heavy accusations ought to be supported with evidential facts, so that it will not lead the masses believe that the insecurity in the State has been turned to a ploy to witch hunt and silence perceived enemies through political power.
No patriotic politician of Imo extraction will celebrate the destruction of the Imo State, because should Imo State boil, where then do we\u00a0 all run to?
PDP as presently constituted in Imo State is not violent, and if it were, such fellows in their midst\u00a0 have left the party.
Therefore, in a Democratic environment, the masses are allowed to make their feelings known. Much more a political party that acts like a Shadow Government!
A cursory, look at Imo PDP\u2019s Executive, from the State, to\u00a0 Zones, LGAs, including National Officers\u00a0 from the State would convince you that the present Imo PDP is not given to violence.
You can accuse the party of\u00a0 being cerebral and urbane in putting the sitting Government on its toes to deliver the goods to the masses. And that is the job of opposition party in a robust democratic environment.
The PDP was in power in the State for seven months, before it was removed from office, and never for one day engaged in any act of violence, but vacated office peacefully. This was even at the height of confrontations from the opposition party.
Since then, the man who lost his mandate, His Excellency, Rt Hon\u00a0 Emeka Ihedioha has not granted any interview, be it to Print, or Electronic media about Imo State. So, why persuade him now to speak? It is his Fundamental Right to remain quiet, since that is what he choose.
He has moved on with his life, but PDP\u00a0 as a party will continue to operate and function, since elections are not over in Nigeria, and the party remains one of the strongest parties in Nigeria.
Nearly Ninety percent of those who ruled and still\u00a0 ruling\u00a0 Imo State are members of PDP, and it is an open prediction that when the bell for next election tools, there will still be a surge into Imo PDP, as usual.
Therefore, the Imo situation must be handled with tact and wisdom, because one found a snake in his house does not mean that the entire Building should be set on fire.
Infact, the Governor, as the Chief Security Officer, and as Chief Executive of the State has an Eagle-eye over view of all that transpires in the State through regular security reports.
Therefore, Government has all the machinery to unravel the mystery surrounding Unknown Gunmen saga.
Government also has the power and means to solve the problem but not to the detriment of the masses.\u00a0 Certainly, Imo cannot continue like, this which is the major challenge facing the Governor.
What Imo people want is a peaceful environment where all citizens will be free and protected to do their businesses.
No battle in the World ever ended in the battle field. There is always the round-Table to end every war. It is called Dialogue!
Now that the Gunmen are unveiled, it should be the route to end this strange situation in Imo land, which led the masses to live in apprehension for months now. The Ball is in the court of the Government to quench this fire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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