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Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has said some aggrieved politicians are behind the recent attacks on police stations and a correctional facility in the state.
The governor stated this on Wednesday while featuring on a Channels Television programme, Politics Today.
He said the politicians’ objective is to destablise the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state.
“What happened in Imo state last Monday is unbelievable. A group of hoodlums, of course sponsored by some known politicians in Imo State, decided to destroy public infrastructure and government facilities, attacked a correctional centre facility and also attacked the Police headquarters in the state.
“But what is important to take home is for Nigerians to know of the plot by a group of aggrieved politicians to destablise the government of APC. I have done some thorough investigation and I have a credible lead as to those who are sponsoring the activities of these hoodlums.
“We are working hard to ensure that the sponsors of these dastardly act are brought to book,” he said.
The governor also said members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are not behind the attacks
The police had earlier said the Eastern Security Network (ESN), an outfit of IPOB, was behind the violence in the state.
But Uzodimma said hoodlums were hired from outside Imo State, noting that they only pretended to be IPOB members.
He said: “They(politicians) try to identify grievances of people in a particular area. They hire hoodlums from outside Imo State. They bring them in pretending to be IPOB and they commit this crime and they go away.
“It is not about IPOB. Yes, we agree, we have aggrieved IPOB members. But I can tell you, those who are doing these destructions, most of them were brought from outside Imo State.”
The governor added that his administration has trained over 4000 youths on community policing.
He noted that they will work with vigilantes to support the efforts of security agencies to secure the state.