OPINION: Desperate politicians and their instrumental roles on recent unrest in Imo
Editor's note: James Ikedi Emeahu, a public affairs commentator based in Owerri, in this piece, blames the insecurity in Imo on the desperation of disgruntled politicians in the state.
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Imo state is known and been envied by sister states and counter-parts across the nation for its peaceful atmosphere and hospitality. The Sam Mbakwe Airport hosts businessmen and women, industrialists, tourists, and well-meaning Nigerians who visit the state week-in, week-out just for relaxation and comfortability.
This, therefore, paves room for the comfortable homes and hotels in the state especially in the capital city, Owerri, which gets booked up to their brims. Entertainment and other tourist attraction businesses have become so lucrative and render world-class services. You may agree with me that the level of peace and tranquility in the state has contributed immensely towards the economic growth and development of the state and it has been like that since the creation of the state in 1976.
In recent times, the peace-loving and peaceful state in Nigeria have been turned into a home of chaos, banditry, and hoodlums activities are now the order of the day, thereby igniting unnecessary fear and anxiety in the minds of the citizens and other residents in the state.
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It all started with what seemed to be a misguided action by the youths (#EndSARS protests), it then graduated into attacks against the security operatives and their facilities which have resulted in the destruction of many divisional police stations, with loss of lives and other valuables, just recently we witnessed another sabotage against Imo state, the attack on the state's correctional facility and central police headquarters which freed over 8,000 inmates.
The rise in insecurity within the state such as kidnappings, armed robbery, rape, and other crimes and criminality cannot be de-emphasized and all these condemnable barbaric happenings and ugly scenarios witnessed in the state lately may all be traceable to desperate politicians and opposition leaders in the state.
In a truly democratic setting, the opposition efforts are appreciated and needed for it is part of the democratic process for the opposition to checkmate the excesses of the government with constructive criticisms especially when they perceive any policy of the government to be against the people, but in Imo today, desperation and hunger for power have blindfolded those playing in opposition and have redirected them from constructive criticism to unleashing of mayhem, and banditry in the state.
Sadly, these desperadoes are instruments of sabotage towards the efforts of the government. They want the people to revolt against the government by playing the wise cat by trying to cover their atrocities under the guise of IPOBians. It has therefore become very imperative for people with sane minds to ask some pertinent questions concerning the recent out-clash and the role of the said IPOBians.
IPOB, as the name implies simply, means the Indigenous People Of Biafra, these groups of people though have been proscribed by the Nigerian government are championing agitations for the Igbo race because they felt they are being marginalized and they have not been known to be terrorists or bandits. Why they have been proscribed is a question for another day.
Those agitating for freedom cannot engage in the destruction of government properties and the killing of innocent souls. These wolf-in sheep's clothing politicians are fueling attacks in the state for reasons that may be best known to them. In my little thinking, I asked these few but pertinent questions
(A) These attacks every now and then could it be a plot (s) to disrupt the processes of recovering looted commonwealth of the state by previous administrations as embarked upon by the present government which anchored its 3R Mantra on Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction or
(B) Could it be a plot(s) to turn the state into a blood pool and make it ungovernable for Governor Hope Uzodimma as a vendetta mission for challenging them and reclaiming his stolen mandate at the Supreme Court?
In the coming days, the answers to these questions would become clearer.
Meanwhile, it is advisable for the architects and executors of this recent mayhem unleashed in the state to sheath their sword, they should be reminded that we only vary in political parties and we have only one state to call our own and that state is Imo. In all these bad happenings, the businesses that have been disrupted and properties lost are owned by Imolites. Those that lost their lives are also Imolites, for it is said that crisis and war retrogress a supposed progressive society, and a man who ignites the fire in his house and climbs upstairs or atop of his roof for safety is a fool.
Let us embrace love for one another and give peace a chance, let us harken to the voice of reasoning and give maximum support to the administration of Governor Uzodimma, know our onions, keep politics away, criticize when and where necessary, remold and bring back the broken pot of peace and tranquility to our great state, at the end, it shall be for the general good of Ndi Imo.
May Imo Prevail.
Shalom.
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