Barely 24 hours after he squarely put the blame squarely on politicians for the insecurity in the country, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has become a victim of an attack on his palatial country home which was set ablaze.
One of his exquisite cars, a Rolls Royce, was among property also set on fire.
The home in Omuma in Oru East Local Government Area, was hoodlums took place Saturday morning.
Governor Uzodinma is at the moment in Abuja. It was learnt as of the time of this report that he was heading back to Imo to assess the situation.
The hoodlums were said to be clad in black and black attire, but details about a lifeless body were still being awaited as an official, like Uzodinma, blamed political opponents in the state as sponsors of the attack.
The Commissioner of Information in the state, Declan Emelumba, was quoted by Channels Television as saying that the attack was repelled by a combined team of security operatives attached to the house.
“Gallant security operatives this morning repelled an attack on the Omuma country home of the governor of Imo State, Sen Hope Uzodimma,” he said via a statement.
“At about 9 am today, Saturday, April 24th, a group of hoodlums numbering about 15 driving in a motorcade of three vehicles accompanied by a tipper loaded with used tyres, stormed the country home of the governor in Omuma, Oru East LGA and attempted to burn down the house.
“However, vigilant security operatives attached to the Governor’s house successfully repelled the attack and consequently minimised the damage they had planned to unleash.
“In the crossfire that ensued a few casualties were recorded. Preliminary investigation suggests that the foiled attack may have been politically sponsored.”
Recall that shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, said: “Those funding this banditry are politicians, which I challenge and call on security agencies to make their names available to the Press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused.
“If this government is not doing well, I’ll be one of those that would have declared that the government is not doing well.
“But a situation where you’ll leave the formal way, ethical way of doing politics, and you are now sponsoring banditry to bring down a government, for Christ’s sake, we should rise up and condemn it, all of us
“I don’t think that I will support any call for secession, I want a united, strong Nigeria. Our strength is in our diversity and today, we are supposed to play a leading role in this continent.
“We don’t want to whittle down our strength, rather, what I advise is that we must appreciate the gift of nature in our land and the support government. This country is blessed by God.”
On the attacks on Prison and police formations in Owerri, Imo State.
“As at the last count, we arrested almost 40 to 50 people, who also made useful statements and confessed to the crime.
“I continue to tell you that this issue of banditry is something that we must all rise up as people to condemn and then support security agencies to be able to provide an enabling environment for people to go about their businesses, without fear of any molestation.
“The job of security of a country cannot be left to security agencies alone.
“The job requires the citizenry to support security agencies through intelligence gathering, also leaders at all levels, including traditional leaderships, to support government because the bandits stay among us, the criminals live among us.
“And if we’re not in position to report them, or report their activities to security agencies, then we are undoing ourselves.”