The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Imo

  • NDLEA intercepts 200kg of suspected Cannabis in Edo

    NDLEA intercepts 200kg of suspected Cannabis in Edo

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ) in Edo says it has intercepted a shipment of dried weeds suspected to be Cannabis Sativa at Ehor in the state.

    Mr Buba Wakawa, State Commander of the agency in the state, disclosed this in Benin on Thursday.

    According to Wakawa, the suspected substance was packed in 20 bags weighing about 200 kilogrammes and concealed in a false compartment.

    He said the stuff was lined on the inner wall of a dark blue Volkswagen Bus with Anambra registration number: ACA 711 XT.

    He said the driver of the bus had been arrested in connection with the suspected substance.

    The commander also said that preliminary investigation revealed that the illicit drugs were being conveyed from Iruekpen in Edo to Uko-Orji in Imo.

    He said that the driver of the bus was presently assisting the command in its investigation.

    He also said that the suspect was married with four children and hailed from Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta.

    Wakawa said the suspect in his statement, disclosed that he had been driving for fifteen years but recently began to smuggle cannabis because of lack of a stable job.

    “I have been driving for the past fifteen years. However, in the past two years, I have been out of a stable employment.

    “It was in the process of looking for food for my family that l accepted to smuggle cannabis.

    “Shortly after l took off, my bus was stopped at Ehor by NDLEA officers on patrol; the drug was well hidden but l was surprised when the officers detected it in a false compartment,” the suspect said.

    NAN

  • Gov. Okorocha supports FG’s housing programme

    Gov. Okorocha supports FG’s housing programme

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has expressed support to the ongoing Federal Government’s National Housing Programme (NHP) across the country.

    Okorocha, represented by Mr Kingsley Uju, his Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, spoke on Wednesday during the inspection of the NHP site in the state by the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri.

    The minister was in Avu, Owerri Local Government Area, as part of a nationwide inspection tour of the sites for NHP projects.

    The governor commended the Avu community for sacrificing its ancestral land to make sure development was recorded in the area.

    Okorocha promised the land owners that none of them would be denied their statutory rights in the course of the development.

    He appealed to the contractors to always carry the people of the area along in their activities to prevent agitations.

    Okorocha noted that the state would be laying foundation of another housing project in line with the Federal Government promises of providing houses for a greater percentage of Nigerians.

    He called for the cooperation of the citizens toward the realisation of the housing project.

    The minister said that the Imo project site was the best out of the sites visited in the country.

    Shehuri promised to address issues of payment to contractors squarely, adding that payment would be made as soon as it was due to facilitate timely project completion.

    Dr Victor Nwaneri, Chairman, Avu Land Owners of Federal Housing Estate, said it was gratifying that the Federal Government approved the siting of the housing estate in the area.

    Nwaneri urged the Federal Government to consider Avu indigenes first in appointments in the ongoing project.

    He also appealed for the revival of the dualisation of Avu-Egbema road in the interest of many communities around it.

    “All other life changing amenities should be extended to Avu community to propel the community to donate more lands to the government as the need arises.”

    The Team Leader, NHP, IMO state, Mr Cosmos Ikejiofor, noted that there was a legal tussle between the ministry and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

    In his progress report on implementation of the programme in the state, he said that the challenges were yet to be resolved.

    He said that Interim Valuation and Payment Certificate (No. 1) has been raised for the contractors that have completed work on the ground floor concrete slab in their projects.

    “These have been forwarded to the ministry’s headquarters at Abuja for further necessary action,” he said.

    NAN

  • Okorocha congratulates Obiano over his re-election

    Okorocha congratulates Obiano over his re-election

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has congratulated the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) in the Nov. 18 Anambra governorship election, Gov. Willie Obiano, over his re-election.

    in the Nov. 18 Anambra governorship election, Gov. Willie Obiano, over his re-election.

    Okorocha gave the congratulatory message in a statement by  his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemedo, on Monday in Owerri.

    The governor said that Obiano’s victory was too clear to be contested or questioned.

    He, therefore, advised candidates of other political parties who took part in the election to congratulate the winner and avoid going to court to question his victory.

    Okorocha, who is  also the Chairman, All Progressives Congress ( APC ) Governors’ Forum, expressed regret over the loss of his party in the election.

    He attributed the loss to internal wrangling and the lack of genuine commitment on the part of the party’s leadership in the state.

    He, however, expressed the hope that with the election, the future of APC in the South-East was bright.

    He said that before now, nobody would have thought that APC could do better in Anambra.

    The governor urged Nigerians to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC led-government “for allowing level playing ground for all candidates.

    “The Anambra election shows that the APC has what it takes to strengthen the nation’s democracy.”

    Okorocha thanked the people of Anambra for the peaceful election and for not yielding to IPOB’s threats or listen to the group’s call for boycott.

    A total of 37 political parties presented candidates in the Nov. 18 Anambra governorship election.

    Some of the candidates were the incumbent, Gov. Willie Obiano, with his Deputy, Nkemakonam Okeke, who contested on the platform of APGA, while Oseloka Obazie of PDP had Chidi Onyemelukwe, a woman as his running mate.

    Tony Nwoye of APC had Dozie Arinze, a woman, as his running mate.

    NAN

  • Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    The Federal Government has confirmed six new cases of the MonekyPox virus in the country, with one case recorded in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Health, made this known in a statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director of Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Heath.

    Akinola said apart from the one recorded in Abuja, two cases were confirmed each in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom while Enugu State had one case.

    Ehanire also said investigations were ongoing to see if any of the new cases has a link with the Bayelsa cluster, where the outbreak started.

    He further called for calm among members of the public, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is working with all affected states to ensure case finding and adequate management.

    He added that as frightening as the manifestation of the ailment might seem, no fatality has been recorded to date. As of Oct. 25, a total of 94 suspected cases have been reported from 11 states, (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and Abuja).

    He said patients of the newly confirmed cases were already being managed by public health authorities and have been receiving appropriate clinical care.

    He said Ministry, through NCDC, was in close contact with all State Epidemiology Teams, and the health facilities providing clinical care to both suspected and confirmed cases.

    He added that State Commissioners of Health have been advised to place all health care facilities and Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers on alert, to ensure early case detection, reporting and effective treatment.

    Read also: Monkey Pox victim commits suicide in Bayelsa hospital

    The minister said a National-level Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the NCDC with support from our development partners, was coordinating outbreak investigation and response across affected states.

    He added the EOC included the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as experts from partner agencies.

     

  • Police rescue two suspected robbers from mob in Enugu

    Police rescue two suspected robbers from mob in Enugu

    The operatives of the Police Command in Enugu State say they have rescued two suspected robbers from mob and lynching in Amuri road near Enugu.

    The Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO ) for the command, Asp. Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Thursday in Enugu.

    He said that the suspects, who attempted to flee after they made effort to steal a motorcycle, were rescued on Oct. 22.

    The police image maker noted that the rescue was carried out by police operatives from Agbani Division of the command.

    The spokesman said that the two suspects, name with held, hailed from Ogbaku in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo.

    “The two suspects received beating of their lives from the mob that promptly descended heavily on them for allegedly stealing a Top Star Motorcycle from where it was parked at Amuri Road at Agbani,’’ he said.

    He said the owner of the said motorcycle had gone to purchase some items from Eke Agbani Market.

    “It was gathered that suspects, having been sighted by good citizens, were promptly given a hot chase by members of the public who eventually closed them up.’’

    “They gave them the beating of their lives which left them with various degrees of injuries before the arrival of police operatives who immediately rescued them from being lynched.’’

    Amaraizu, who said the suspects were receiving medical attention while the motorcycle has been recovered, said the command had begun full scale investigations into the matter.

    NAN

  •  Military not involved in vaccination – FG

     Military not involved in vaccination – FG

    Federal Government on Wednesday said  the military is not involved in any monkey pox vaccination as presently rumoured.

    The rumors had spread like wildfire that the military was injecting monkey pox virus to people in their medical outreach across the country.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole said this when he briefed State House correspondences at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    According to him, the eleven states are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa and Rivers.

    While stressing that outbreak was confirmed in Bayelsa, he said that out of the 19 samples tested, 3 tested positive from Bayelsa 12 tested negative from Bayelsa, and 4 tested negative from Lagos.

    He explained that the military  medical outreach has never harm anyone and in some cases involved in road construction and other services.

    He said “Council also received an update of the public health of the nation.  We informed Council about the latest development with respect to the Monkey Pox virus outbreak. So far, as of today, there are 74 suspected cases in 11 states of the country. We have confirmed three in Bayelsa state, We are still expecting the results of other ones.

    “We are also doing advance test in NEDE,  that is the African Centre of Excellence for Genomes and Infections Disease to really understand the genomes of this virus.  Even when they are negative, the laboratory attendance should be able to tell us what exactly they are. We will also be able to locate and identify the origin so that we can take adequate precaution.” he said

    On the military vaccination rumors, he said  “It is also important to use this opportunity to dispel the rumour circulating in the country that the military is vaccinating people and trying to spread monkey pox across the country. The military is not involved in any vaccination exercise and I must also really educate the Nigeria people about how vaccination campaigns are done.

    “Federal will take the lead but we do not conduct campaign without involving states.  So, there is no way we will do campaign for vaccination without working with the states and it is the state that will be in front and we provide support.

    “The rumour that federal is involved in monkey pox vaccination campaign is not true. And as of today, we are only doing vaccination campaign in three states against other diseases.

    “We are doing vaccination campaign against yellow fever in Kwara and Kogi because of yellow fever outbreak in some parts of the country. We are also doing cholera vaccination in Borno state and so anybody carrying the rumour,  please help us educate Nigerians that it is not true. We are not vaccinating anybody, we plan to do missiles campaign very soon and we will also do yellow fever before the end of the year and we will let you know.

    “You will never find Federal staff conducting vaccination campaign without the support and active participation of the state ministry of health, this is just to correct the misconception.” he stated

    Asked whether he was disowning the  military over the issue, he said “With respect to what the military is doing, I spoke about vaccination and not about military campaign. The military as part of a campaign of winning over the heart and soul of the people havel got engaged in several things. In the past,  the military was noted of even constructed roads, the military will do outreaches, measure blood pressure, talk to people. These are normal things,  I referred only to vaccination.

    “We had to request for the assistance of the military in Borno state to reach inaccessible area with respect to the polio campaign so we have worked with the military in the past and we will continue to work with them.

    “There are doctors in the military, there are nurses and when you go abroad, some of the best institutions abroad are those ones managed by the military. So we cannot disown the military. But what I want to put across is that the military is not involved in any vaccination.” he said

    On the report of illegal traffickers of kidney,  he said “With respect to the harvest of organs we received advice periodically from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, from National Security Adviser about goings on around the world. One of which is the harvest of organ illegally and it is our duty to alert Nigerians that this is ongoing, they should be careful, they should seek advice, they should patronize only accredited institution.

    “And as we rebuild our health infrastructure there will be less need for anybody to travel out and so we spare Nigerians the agony of falling victims of some of these illegal practices.”

    Speaking on the growing drug abuse among the youth,  he said “We are quite aware of this.  Abuse will take several forms.  Abuse of substances that are smuggled into the country in higher doses than normal. For example we have metadol and tramadol and even Viagra being smuggled into the country. Look at the dosage, the Viagra dosage is three times normal and when you look at the tramadol it is three to four times normal and once NAFDAC officials come in contact, they are impounded and destroyed.

    “We are also working with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to educate people about the abuses.  We are aware of the abuse of cough mixture because of the content and we are working hard in respect to this.”

    Stressing that Nigeria is part of the campaign against tobacco, he said that the country is implementing the framework convention in tobacco control.

    “As of Monday we were part of the  ECOWAS meeting to look at how do we raise taxes on tobacco. That meeting we really worked to prevent smuggling on tobacco products, we looked at how we can raise taxes on tobacco products. It is known that Nigeria has one of cheapest tobacco prices in the world and that will contribute to the abuse.  That convention and recommendations coming from there will really contribute to raising taxes on tobacco and also generating resources that will go into health.

    The Minister of Water Resources disclosed that the Council also approved the sum of N236 million for the completion of Sabke dam in Katsina state.

    He said “One Memo from my ministry was considered today as part of our efforts to improve the hethrege for irrigation, we have been committing ourselves to completing many of the irrigation projects we inherited in the past two years. One of such is the Sabke irrigation project. This is a project that started as far back as 1997 during the PTF days but was abandoned and then reawarded in 2009, completed 95 percent by 2012 and again abandoned.

    “When we came into office, I commissioned a technical audit of all the ongoing project and n the ministry and because of the status of that project having attained 95 percent completion,  it became a priority project because it was a low hanging fruit for us to complete.

    “Unfortunately, when the contractor was mobilised to site,  we found out that a lot of component of the irrigation project had been vandalized and for us to be able to put that project into effective use,  we now have to do a lot of rehabilitation works and we therefore brought a memo seeking Council to give us an augmentation of about N280m for us to be able to complete the work 100 percent and make it fit for the purpose and Council considered and approved this memo.”

     

     

  • Sustaining war on cultism in Imo

    SIR: The reported killing, on Thursday, October 5, of the two most wanted cult leaders and kidnappers in Imo State, Tochukwu Egbelu, aka black face, and Enyia Iwu, aka Sparrow, by the operatives deployed by the state police command to the Assa, Obile and Awarra communities of Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area brought unspeakable joy and much needed relief to the traumatised villagers who have been under a siege for years now.

    According to reports in the media on Friday, October 6, the two suspected criminals, “leaders of the Iceland cult, which had been credited with the killing of over 20 people and the destruction of  over 30 houses”, were killed during a shootout in the Nwagbakobi forest in Assa community.

    The state police commissioner, Chris Ezike, deserves all the accolades because his determination to stamp out crime and criminality in the state has been yielding huge dividends in our communities.

    Following the success recorded so far in the fight against cultism, violent crimes and banditry in Assa, Obile and Awarra by the police personnel, civil life is gradually returning to communities that were hitherto deserted following an orgy of killings and destruction of property by rival cult groups that held the communities hostage for years. Markets, schools and churches that were closed for a long time are being reopened.

    However, CP Ezike and his men should not rest on their oars until all the suspected criminals arrested so far by the various security agencies, according to media reports, in connection with cult activities in the area are properly investigated and made to face the full wrath of the law so as to serve as a deterrent to other deviant elements in the communities. In particular, the 35 suspected kidnappers, cultists and criminals handed over to them by the operatives of the Operation Python Dance 2 on Wednesday, October 11, should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted where found culpable.

    Besides, the police should not succumb to any pressure of any kind or campaign of calumny from any quarters but should take the fight to its logical conclusion. We cannot afford another round of the heinous reign of cultists in our communities.

     

    • Emenike Uzomba,

    Ohaji, Imo State.

  • Imo 2019: Okorocha’s legacies and APC’s chances

    Imo 2019: Okorocha’s legacies and APC’s chances

    As political forces re-align ahead of the 2019 election, Imo is one of the states where the opposition, in a bid to oust the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have been loud and critical. But Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports that Governor Rochas Okorocha, who just celebrated his 55th birthday, and the APC believe the party will retain the state because of his performance and populist style.

    BY 2019, when the next governorship election will hold in Imo State, Governor RochasOkorocha would have completed his second term in office and as such would not contest for the office. But given the stunning transformational projects he has executedin the South-East state within the last seven years andhis sheer dynamism as a politician, he has become one governor Ndi-Imo will never forget in a hurry.

    Besides his achievements in area of infrastructural development,Okorocha would also be remembered as a governor who has never been spared by his opponents. As a result, he has contended with so many controversies and allegations that listeners, who have not visited the state in the last three years to see things themselves, may not believe it when they read of his astounding legacies.

    In fact, whenever Okorocha, in his usual jocular manner, says he has done over 1000 projects in Imo State, an outsider, who has heard the many critical views of the governor’s opponents, is most likely to dismiss the claim as a blatant lie of a colourful politician, trying to deceive people with his uncommon aura and oratory.

    So, deliberately or coincidentally, the Imo State governor has emerged as one of the most misunderstood and criticized governors of his time.

    Perhaps to correct the impression once and for all,Okorocha opened up during his 55th birthday anniversary and made a display of some of the projects he has executed. He told The Nation that one of his faults may be his refusal so far in commissioning or celebrating his projects.

    It would be recalled that amidst criticisms earlier in 2016, the governor had said he was focused and could not be distracted.  Between then and now, Okorocha, who was accused of having numerous uncompleted projects, have made unbelievable efforts to further shame his critics. Amongst the over 1000major projects he is proud to bequeath include“the construction of Ochiedike Dialysis Centre, provision of free education from primary to tertiary education, reduction of poverty rate in the state, construction of Imo International Conference Centre (IICC), construction of Heroes Square, the IkembaOjukwu Centre, a brand new Government House, completion of former Ahiajoku Convention Centre, now Imo Trade and Investment Centre and construction of many flyover bridges in Owerri, etc.” Besides these, The Nation observed that Okorocha has embarked on an ambitious and breathtaking beautification of New Owerri Metropolis.

    Explaining the likely impact of his legacy projects after his tenure, he said: “you cannot come to Imo State now and say you want to abolish free education from primary to university, they will not accept. I have spoilt Imo people, believe me.

    “You cannot come to Imo State and say you want to give them a single lane road when they are now used to eight lane road in the city, they won’t accept it. You cannot come here and tell the children to go to schools where the floors are not tiled, they will not accept because all the schools have been rebuilt.

    “You can no longer take them to those ramshackle hospitals, those shanties they called hospitals because I have built 27 to 200 bed general hospitals. You can no longer tell them those stories. All the infrastructures are there.

    “And you can no longer tell our workers to dress shabbily; they will not, they will want to dress in their suits and tie and white shirts. So, Imo has changed, believe me.”

    Criticisms and allegations

    The physical, human and aesthetic changes notwithstanding, Okorochahas been target of ceaseless criticisms and allegations, the latest of which include the demolition of the popular Ekeukwu market, the killing of young Somtochukwu during the demolition exercise and his open opposition of IPOB long before the other South-Eastgovernors outlawed the organisation in the zone. Okorocha, who initially kept quiet overthe allegations, chose his recent birthday anniversary to set the records straight. His explanations:

    On Ekeukwu market demolition controversy

    “Ekeukwu has been one of the oldest markets from when Owerri was a village. That place was a motor park belonging to the government of Imo State. The structure in question there was a structure put up by the municipal government of Imo State. So, what government has broken down there is its property. But some people have misunderstood the whole exercise.

    When I came in as governor, the first thing I told the people was the need to move Ekeukwu because it constituted the biggest problem in this city. The worst crimes in Imo State took place in Ekeukwu; you couldn’t pass Ekeukwu without having any of your property stolen on an hourly basis. Not only that, Ekeukwu produces the unhealthiest atmosphere with waste within that small enclave and it was no longer good for the city. In fact, the law that no market should be four kilometres close to Government House was also in place. That also affected Ekeukwu.

    So, everybody knew Ekeukwu was going to move. I have had over 20 town hall meetings with the people on Ekeukwu, but they never believed that any governor would have the political will to move Ekeukwu. In Ekeukwu, we had cases of kidnapping. Behind one of the houses, in the process of the demolition exercise, we discovered a house belonging to Professor Adiele’s uncle; there were six cells. That property is yet to be destroyed.

    So, Ekeukwu constituted a major problem, the demolition was a necessity and very important, but nobody believed that any governor could move it. I have done that, and it is in the interest of the people, and I have no personal benefit from this. The place is cleaned up now. The next market I am moving is the Hausa community, and the people are happy.

    We have plans for the place; we want the city to breathe.”

    On the killing of young Somtochukwu in Ekeukwu

    Before we moved in to clear the place, we made it clear that there should be no shoot out. I gave a clear instruction, the Commissioner of Police and Inspector General Police also gave clear instructions. What the police went there with was tear gas in case there was need to use it. Now, when the demolition commenced, we started hearing gun shots.

    The cult members, engaged by some of the indigenes, thinking that was the way to fight the last battle, started shooting. But whatever it is, the fact that the boy died during that event, whatever I say here is no excuse but to mourn him and compensate the parents properly. At the heat of the event, the story was that it was government that ordered the police to shoot him.

    The people started to mourn. Politicians and leaders turned it to politics and went to the graveyard, with women wearing black. I felt that was over dramatization, so we kept quiet. But now, I have made a public statement that every project around there shall be called Somtochukwu project; even the name, Douglas road will be changed to Somto road. The young man deserved it outside other things we have to do. We have to do that to honour that boy because that is the greatest sacrifice anybody can make for Ekeukwu.”

    On his opposition of IPOB’s style

    “On the issue of IPOB, whether we want to believe it or not, IPOB is not good for the South-East and it is not the best way for us to complain about marginalisation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There are better ways; the IPOB way is too primitive. If IPOB must do a thing like that, it should have changed the name and fought the way Ijaw youths fought, Arewa youths fought, and they would have made more impact.

    Reacting, Dr. Chukwuemeka Uzoukwu, an APC member in Okigwe, told The Nation, “the governor’s opponents have refused to see anything good in his transformational efforts just because they are interested in taking over Douglas House in 2019, but as you can see, the OwelleOkorocha-led APC government in Imo here has provided so much infrastructural development that only an ingrate will deny them re-election in 2019.”

    APC’s chances in 2019

    As the various political parties prepare for the next elections in 2019, the opposition parties in the state are poised for a grand battle. “The controversies surrounding Okorocha’s APC government, including the reported disagreement in the party over zoning and over Okorocha’s successor,” according to Chief Uzodinma Ihemere, an All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) member,“will work against APC in 2019.” He said “Okorocha may have embarked on some physical development we can’t deny, but good governance goes beyond that.”

    But The Nation gathered that APCwill anchor its campaign for the 2019 elections on the performance of Okorocha’s government. “Our party is proud to say that Okorocha’s visible achievements are reasons enough to ask the people to elect another APC candidate to continue the good work. Every other thing critics are saying today is mere politics. Imo has never seen it this way since the days of Chief SamuelOnunakaMbakwe. Also, no mother or father, who is enjoying free education of his or her children, will risk voting for another party now. So, we are confident,” said Chief Nkemdinma Nwulu in Owerri.

  • NEMA lauds Okorocha’s urban renewal programme

    NEMA lauds Okorocha’s urban renewal programme

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) has applauded Gov. Rochas Okorocha’s urban renewal programme, saying it has made response to emergencies in Imo easier.

    Mr Evans Ugoh, Coordinator of NEMA Owerri operations office in charge of Imo and Abia states, disclosed this in an interview on friday.

    Ugoh further said that the urban renewal programme would reduce disasters such as flooding and fire outbreaks in the area as well as create more job opportunities for the youth.

    The coordinator, who was commenting on the state government’s urban renewal programmes and the associated benefits, noted that flooding was becoming a major issue in emergency management in the country.

    He said that the recent flooding in Owerri was a temporal situation and would be permanently taken care of when the various projects in the state were completed.

    He said that the programme had helped to decongest the capital city and had also attracted meaningful development in other parts of the state.

    The NEMA boss also noted that with the milestone so far achieved, the crime rate would drastically reduce.

    “Imo will soon become the safest state in the country because of how it is being reorganized and this will make our job very easy.

    “The governor has a lot of vision, but needed people to support him to achieve his vision,”

  • Imo to immortalise 10-year-old victim of Owerri market protest

    •Douglass Road, new project to be renamed after victim

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday said the famous Douglas Road, where the demolished Eke-Ukwu Owerri Market was located, as well as any other project that will be built on the plot of land, will be renamed after Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, the 10-year-old boy who was killed by a stray bullet during the demolition.

    He said the exact place the boy was killed did not matter because the government had decided to honour him, though the circumstances were confusing.

    Okorocha, who spoke at the Government House in Owerri, the state capital, when he hosted traditional rulers and leaders of Owerri, said he had been able to “liberate the people of Owerri from a wicked clique made up of one or two families that had held Owerri people in bondage”.

    He said: “Government has decided to honour Somtochukwu, although the boy’s death was confusing because an action can’t be taking place on Douglas Road and the person died on Mbaise Road.

    “No matter what happened, whatever be the case, since that boy died within that period of liberation, that boy must be honoured. This is besides the fact that Owerri leaders are mourning him, wore black, even to Catholic and Anglican churches. And if Owerri leaders can mourn a boy from Nnewi, Anambra State, that shows there is something great about that boy.

    “For every activity at Ekeukwu and on Douglas Road, the boy will be honoured. This is because he died on the day of the event. That boy is more important than any Eke or Afor, Ekeukwu or Ekenta.

    “So, Douglas Road and any project to be sited there will be named after Somtochukwu. The project will be named Somtochukwu and the road, Somtochukwu Road, in line with the way all of us are mourning that boy. I will not go back to a deity again by naming it Ekeukwu Road. Imo State has gone past that level.”

    He added: “They (political opponents) are fighting me because I have liberated our people. What do I benefit by building a township school, rebuilding Emmanuel College, Akwakuma Girls School, Government College, Government Technical College, Owerri Girls School, inland roads, ICC, trade and investment centre, two flyovers, two tunnels, heroes’ square, roads?

    “What do I benefit as Rochas Okorocha, if not for the development of Owerri? No governor has done, in the history of Owerri, what I have done for Owerri people? My crime is that I have liberated you people from bondage…”