GOVERNOR Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has urged citizens not to take up arms against gunmen.
Uzodinma assured the residents of the state that there will be no need after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in his office at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This followed the call by the Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara who asked residents of the state to procure licences and arm themselves in the face of persistent attacks on various communities.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting with the President, Governor Uzodinma said the security situation in Imo has not degenerated to the level of asking the people to defend themselves.
Rather, he expressed confidence in the ability of the security agencies in Imo to curb the activities of armed men disturbing the peace in the state.
The governor, however, admitted that he was not in Zamfara and could not determine exactly why the state government made such a move.
He stressed that his own administration was in control of the security agencies in Imo, saying that was why he affirmed that the situation in the state has greatly improved.
Governor Uzodinma equally disclosed that President Buhari has approved the hosting of this year’s edition of the Nigerian Army Day in Imo.
Saying the development would further improve the security in the state, he stated that the approval for the event would take place during the President’s visit to commission some projects in Imo.
On Sunday, the governor had issued a 10-day ultimatum to gunmen in Imo to immediately come out of their hideouts and surrender their arms to their traditional rulers for unconditional pardon.
He warned that a failure to do so would attract bombardment by the security forces, saying the government was determined to rid the forests in Imo of bandits and accordingly, has procured the necessary equipment for the purpose.
