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Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has said bandits are responsible for the attacks in the South East and not the Eastern Security Network (ESN) operated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The governor,who spoke on Wednesday while featuring on Channels Television programme, ‘Sunrise Daily,’ however, accused the ESN of being the masterminds.
Umahi said the governors from the South East will not back illegality in any form but will operate within the context of the law.
He also said the recently launched regional security outfit, Ebubeagu, was not formed in a hurry, adding that the security outfit(Ebubeagu) is the only recognised one in the region.
“Of late, we have bandits that are doing a lot of evil and say that they are Eastern Security Network. They commit a lot of crimes and say that they are IPOB and later IPOB will say they have no hand in it. This is what is going on. We will not allow illegality to thrive in our land. Conflict will not resolve conflict.
“Ebubeagu is to protect the lives of everyone in the South East,” the governor said.
Umahi also blamed some politicians for the insecurity in the country.
“A lot of people want to get to the top by all means and they hire bandits who go to burn police stations, kill people and they come out to say that they are IPOB, they are not IPOB, they are just criminals being hired by people.
“The truth remains that the country is going into extreme politics, it is easier to make money in politics, blackmail people and so, we have departed from the culture of hard work,” he added
In the past few weeks, the South East region has been engulfed in crisis as gunmen attack residents, police formations and prisons, freeing thousands of inmates.