Insecurity: Imo group in Lagos, diaspora urged Imo govt, indigenes, stakeholders to address spate of killings

By Arinze Nwafor, Lagos

An association of Imo state natives resident in Lagos state has called on the Imo state government and her indigenes, to address the spate of killings and solve the problem of insecurity.

The ‘Ndi Imo, Lagos and Diaspora’ held a world press briefing on Wednesday, denouncing the killings in Imo state, spelling out solutions to the problem, suing for peace and endorsing its townsmen running for political office.

The president of the association, Dr Femi Ferguson said the members of the ‘Ndi Imo’ group in Lagos are concerned about the killings in the state, especially the recent murder of a local government head, Chris Ohizu.

Ohizu was beheaded by assailants who were filmed claiming to act for the actualisation of Biafra, a defunct sovereign state.

Ferguson said Ndi Imo in Lagos and diaspora are no longer inclined to visit their hometowns because of how insecure the state has become.“We have become a centre of mockery; people are ashamed to say they are from Imo state,” Ferguson remarked.

He decried how the sanctity of life is no longer respected in the state, as he stated that “people are being killed like a goat, which is alien to Igbo culture.”

The woman leader of the association, Dr Vivian Ezechi voiced concerns about an issue that she said stems “from the home.”

The association said they realised there is an ongoing “madness” causing insecurity in the state and that they trusted the Imo governor, Hope Uzodinma will do all he can to restore peace.

Politicians affiliated with the Imo people’s association spoke on the insecurity in the state, including the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s Ebenezer Obioma, and a Labour Party (LP) candidate, Dr Angela Ohakosim, all running for Lagos seats in the Federal House of Representatives.

Obioma said that regardless of whether Imo youth are the ones who kill people or not, they would know those people and should not house them.

He called out parents who do not inspect their children’s lives closely and said his political ambition is driven by a desire to deal with crime.

The association’s stakeholders further appealed to the government, including Ukwu Elijah, Chairman of the Oshodi/ Isolo Ndi Igbo United Association; Rev. Mrs Ferguson, who asked the government to clamp down on the perpetrators of crime.

An Imo native Lagos House of Assembly candidate with the LP, John “Mayor” Echefu, asked the state government to publicly apologise to all victims of crime in Imo state.

Echefu appealed to Imo youths to stop retaliation and move on with life while asking the government to rein in the ‘Ebubeagu’ regional security outfit who he alleged was compromised.

The women of the association protested the insecurity with cards, and in a public display of hand-raising, the leaders endorsed the political candidates present, promising to do the same for other Imo natives running for office, in the weeks to come.