By Henry Umahi
The saying that no condition is permanent certainly rings true for Imo. For sometime, the state was assailed by non-state actors, disrupting commercial and social activities.
However, Governor Hope Uzodimma put in everything to fight banditry and other crimes in the state to a standstill. In furtherance of his investments in the security infrastructure, which involves donation of operational vehicles and communication gadgets to various security formations, Uzodimma also acquired and presented 10 armored personnel carriers to the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, who personally came to the state to inaugurate them.
This boosted the security architecture as well as buoyed the morale of the officers and men, even as government insisted that the orchestrated insecurity in parts of the state, especially the Orlu axis, was sponsored by a disgruntled opposition, which had vowed to make the state ungovernable as long as Uzodimma sits as governor of Imo State.
Indeed, Uzodimma gave hope to the people by investing enormously in security and the state gradually bounced back to life.
Uzodimma’s huge investment in security has not gone unnoticed. At the opening of a three-day conference for senior police officers in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, President Muhammadu Buhari; IGP Alkali Baba; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor; Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, and others heaped encomiums on the governor for supporting the police.
Buhari commended the Imo State governor for his exemplary support to the Federal Government in security governance as further exemplified by the hosting the conference in Owerri. Alkali Baba said Uzodimma has done for the police what no other governor in the country today has been able to do to encourage them.
Uzodimma said: “Let me use this opportunity to also reaffirm my unflinching support for the police, and promise that my government will continue to do whatever we can to make their job easier, safer and more efficient. I am aware that supporting the police goes beyond training and the provision of equipment; the welfare of officers and men of the police force are equally paramount. I acknowledge that the current management of the force has been proactive in ensuring the prompt promotion of officers and men, as well as in the payment of insurance to families of deceased officers.
“There is no doubt in my mind that hosting these events will help to reassure both residents and visitors that Imo State is safe again for business and tourism. All thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies, the nightmare of insecurity witnessed in the state a short while ago is now a thing of the past.”
No doubt, the ambience and conviviality prevalent in the Imo environment is yielding results.
Between June 29 and July 6, the entire Nigerian Army hierarchy came to Owerri to showcase the annual army event, which focused on the commitment of the Nigerian Army as a professional defence force.
Similarly, the Association of Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) held the fifth session of its 2022 mandatory continuing professional development/induction programme between August 30 and September 1 in Owerri.
The chief executive officer of ANAN, Dr. Kayode Olusola Fasua, said: “We hardly expected a safe and secure environment to successfully host this 2022 MPCD in Imo State, going by the media hype on the security situation.”
In response, Uzodimma said: “I am glad that ANAN chose Imo State to host the programme, ignoring the false orchestrations of insecurity challenges. Accountability is the fulcrum around which the 3R mantra of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Recovery of our administration revolves.”
The chairman, Imo State branch and South-East zone of ANAN, Sir Chukwuma Uchehara, said: “We express gratitude to God that normalcy has returned to Imo State. Thank you, Governor Uzodimma, for your dexterity and proactiveness in dealing with the hydra-headed issues of insecurity challenges.”
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held its second plenary meeting, between September 8 and 16, 2022, at the Sacred Heart Pastora/Retreat Centre, Orlu, successfully. To the consternation of the bishops, Orlu was very calm. There was no ugly incident/mishap, even when they travelled along the newly constructed Orlu-Owerri Road, enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery on their way.
The All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) also held in Owerri, between November 9 and 12, 2022. The 18th annual conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors was the first of its kind to be hosted in the South-East geopolitical zone and afforded the top journalists a bird’s eye view of the real Imo situation, with physical verification tours of the projects of the Uzodinma administration.
The 2022 conference and retreat for senior police officers held between October 31 and November 2.
The governor reiterated his belief that “the presence of the top brass of the police and other security forces in the state will help fortify our security and safety as a people”.
In furtherance of Uzodimma’s reassurance to both residents and visitors that Imo State is safe again for business and tourism, the 2022 edition of the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards held in Owerri on December 3.
The event brought together top-flight actors, actresses, producers and directors.
The chief executive officer of BON awards, Seun Oloketuyi, said: “The Imo State capital is a hub of activities and security is not a cause for concern.”
Mr. Maxwell Duru, a driver, said normalcy has returned to the state and people go about their businesses without fear.
He said: “Now, you can go to work without fear. We are happy that Hope has given us hope.”
Meanwhile, Uzodimma has urged indigenes and residents of the state to cooperate with the security agencies deployed to the state to maintain peace, law and order.
Uzodimma spoke at the 82 Army Division in Orlu while formally flagging off this year’s Exercise Golden Dawn II of the Nigerian Army, which will end on January 4, 2023.
The governor said the operation became necessary because the yuletide is a period that all “our beloved brothers and sisters far and near come home to celebrate the festive period with us.”
“It is, therefore, the time that we need to put all security measures in place so as to have uninterrupted celebrations,” the Governor said, adding that, “this exercise will go a long way in improving the security situation in our state and entire geo-political zone, giving our people a sense of security and encouraging our brothers and sisters to come home without fear.”
Uzodimma said the people do not have any other home than Imo State, explaining “that is why we have invested a lot in the security architecture of the state.”