Hope Uzodimma, the governor of Imo Governor, has blamed “aggrieved” politicians for the spate of attacks on police facilities in his state, vowing to expose them shortly.
The governor’s words were not enough to stop the attacks, as gunmen in the early hours of Thursday, attacked another police state in Imo, set detainees free, and abducted a cop.
The gunmen attacked Mbieri Divisional Police Headquarters in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state about 1 a.m Thursday
They allegedly ransacked the police facility, taking away any mobile phones they saw, and set detainees free. They were said to have wounded two cops in addition to the one they took away.
This is the third attack within the week on police facilities in Imo. On Monday, a large number of gunmen invaded the Imo State Police Command Headquarters in Owerri, and the Correctional Service.
They set free about 2,000 prisoners and a large number of suspects held at the police head office. They also set ablaze vehicles parked in the two places.
On Tuesday, unknown gunmen bombed the Ehime Mbano police station and released suspects held at the facility.
The gunmen also took away the phones belonging to suspects and the police operatives at the Divisional.
Speaking on Wednesday on Channels Television Politics Today program, Uzodimma claimed that gunmen were hired from outside Imo.
Mohammed Adamu, former Inspector-General of Police, while in Imo on Tuesday blamed the Indigenous People of Biafra and its Eastern Security Network for the attacks, and issues orders for their extermination.
But Uzodimma said the attackers were only disguising themselves as IPOB members.
“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,” he said.
“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 — and attacked a correctional center facility and also attacked a police state headquarters.
“But what is important to take home is for Nigerians to know of the plot by a group of aggrieved politicians to destabilize the government of APC.
“I have done some thorough investigation and I have a credible lead as to those who are sponsoring these activities of these hoodlums.
“We are working hard to ensure that the sponsors of these dastardly acts must be brought to book,” said Uzodimma, who is referred to by some people as “Supreme Court Governor”.
Uzodimma was declared governor of Imo by the Supreme Court some months after the conclusion of the governorship election and after the winner of the election had been sworn in as governor.
But by the judgment of the Supreme, Uzodimma, who was fourth according to the election results, was declared governor.
“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,” Uzodimma said.
