Imo State Government
Press Release
Following the bomb incident that took place on Sunday at the Winners Chapel Church off Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, in which case three bombs were discovered and later detonated by the Police, the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha in collaboration with the security Chiefs in the state have come up with some security measures to ensure adequate security of lives and property in the state, with one of such measures being the launching of “Operation Know Your Neighbour” by the state Governor on Monday, June 16, 2014 at a special security meeting in Owerri, with the service chiefs in the state in attendance.
Launching the programme, Governor Okorocha contended that nobody comes into a state to commit crime of any kind without an internal collaborator, adding that since those who commit these crimes are human beings they must also be residents somewhere, and their neighbours should equally be able to know them and what they do.
Other security measures announced by the governor are:
- Hotels in the state should install security cameras and on daily basis always forward the list of their guests to the Director of SSS.
- Trailers bringing food items from the North would no longer be allowed to come into the state at night but only in the day, and the food items would be off-loaded at a designated place off the state capital.
- Residents in the state must also be careful with broken bottles, cans, leather bags, parked Tankers and vehicles around their homes, public places and public buildings.
- Traditional rulers in the state were directed to summon emergency meetings of their various communities to take stock of strange faces living with them.
- Uncompleted buildings in the cities in the state and environs without security guards will be taken over by the government because criminals use them as hideouts.
- Lands left fallow for several years and not used for any economic or gainful purpose but taken over by criminals will be ceased by the government.
- Smoking of Indian hemp was also banned.
- A meeting of all non-indigenes in the state has also been fixed.
On the bombs discovered at Winners Chapel Church, the Governor said it was aimed at making Imo people mourn and to put the state in disarray; adding that the prayers of Imo people did not allow the bombs to explode, and said that, there was no bomb in Government House as being rumoured.
He praised the security chiefs in the state for their cooperation and hard work adding that Imo people are lucky to have such caliber of security chiefs in the state; and called all hands to be on deck.
The governor also remarked that the Igbos are not fools, but smart people who know how to defend themselves.
Sam Onwuemeodo
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media
