Army Begins Show of Force in Imo as Police Deploy 1,000 Operatives
- A show of force has begun in Imo after coordinated attacks by unknown gunmen in the southeast state
- The military has taken over most major roads in the state as a warning to trouble makers to steer clear
- The Imo state police command also complimented the efforts of the military by deploying 1,000 of its operatives across the state
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A report by The Punch indicates that the Nigerian Army began a show of force in Imo state on Thursday, April 8.
According to the report, the military exercise was a result of the recent attacks on Owerri Correctional Center and the Imo police command headquarters, and two other police stations in the state.
The attackers also attacked a military base at Ukwuorji on the busy Owerri-Onitsha expressway, burning a soldier in a car and destroying four military operational vehicles.
Source: Getty Images
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Sources say the military exercise was intended to boost the morale of security agents and to restore the confidence of the people in the security agents.
Already, eye-witnesses say there is a huge presence of military men on Orlu-Owerri road, Owerri-Onitsha expressway, and Owerri-Okigwe road.
The report also revealed that the leadership of the Imo state police command on Thursday, April 8 begun the deployment of no fewer than one thousand operatives to strategic places and security facilities in the state.
Meanwhile, Vanguard reports that a former governor of Imo, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has advised the incumbent governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to tow the path of consultation rather than confrontation in solving the security challenges in the state.
Okorocha, who is now a serving senator representing Imo West senatorial district, said he was able to keep the state peaceful during his tenure because he consulted widely with relevant stakeholders.
Recall that a recent media report indicates that policemen in the southeast have abandoned their checkpoints and now go to work in mufti for fear of being attacked.
The report revealed that following the consistent attacks on security operatives, policemen have devised the means to stay away from harm as a result of the recent coordinated attacks in the region.
In a related development, Dennis Amachree, a former assistant director of the Department of State Services (DSS), has stated that authorities in Imo state were warned about an impending attack but nothing was done to prevent them.
The former DSS chief said Governor Uzodinma was informed about the planned attacks about a week ahead, adding that there was enough actionable intelligence to organise everything that will thwart the operation.
Source: Legit.ng
