IPOB strangulates Imo despite presidential visit
By Everest Ezihe, Owerri.
Imo State yesterday Thursday once more wore unenviable toga of a conquered territory as residents stayed in doors in compliance with the sit-at-home order by the highly dreaded controversial Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as social economic activities were strangulated.
The freedom fighting organization within the week reportedly issued the directive in protest over the widely publicised one day official visit of the President to the state.
In Owerri, the state capital and it’s environ the compliance was total and unprecedented as movement of vehicles, commercial activities, schools, banks, filling stations, hospitality industry, artisans, streets and roads side traders and business centres all packed up for business.
The picture was the same in Orlu, Okigwe, Oguta, and the entire 27 Local Government Areas of the state, where everything came to a stand still.
Security men comprising Soldiers, Mobile Policemen, men of DSS and NSCDC took over the roads and stratagic junctions just as a holicopter incessantly hovered arround the Owerri municipality at lower height as children playing on the roads were making mockery of the security plane.
Buhari who eventually arrived the state arround 9am was recieved by Governor Hope Uzodimma, members of his cabinet, the House of Assembly members and a retinue of the APC political family from South East geopolitical region.
The President having commissioned a number of projects executed by the Uzodimma administration mostly roads, reiterated his determination to accord all sections of the country a sense of belonging in governance.
According to him ” I am happy with what i have seen on ground, with the projects i have commissioned and what i have seen on the ground today, I am happy with Governor Hope Uzodimma as being on the same page with me” he pointed out.
He further described roads as inevitable infrastructure in societal transformation and commended Governor Uzodimma for his spirited efforts to move the state forward through the provision of infrastructure.
The President noted that the problems confronting the state were similar to those facing the Federal Government and enjoined the people of the state to remain patient with his administrstion in its effort to address all crucial national issues.
Governor Uzodimma had earlier expressed gratitutude to the President for his assistance to the state to tackle it’s security challenges as well as erosion menace.
He said that he had paid compensations to families of security men who lost their lives in the hands of bandits and had also taken steps to cushion the plight of other families who lost their members in the hands of criminals.
He reiterated the commitment of the people of the state to the continued corporate existence of the nation.
