From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Governor Hope Uzodinma has mandated traditional rulers, President Generals (PG) youths and women leaders of every community in Imo State to fish out criminals elements terrorising the State in his new Security Council (SC) arrangement.
The governor who hinted on the committee during the State weekly security meeting held on Thursday at the government house affirmed that the council especially the traditional rulers of every community would be held responsible for any criminal activities in the State.
The Security Council he explained would also help mop up arms in the wrong hands in the State thereby reducing the prevailing insecurity .
Uzodinma further pointed out that the monarchs and the police are also expected to work in tandem with the Interim Management Committee Chairmen and Town Union Presidents across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State for the exercise.
He said, “there is the compelling need to strengthen the security situation at the rural areas, hence the essence of the meeting.”
“Government have discovered that the recent security-related developments in Imo demands that security be beefed up at the rural areas “as a way of reducing the vulnerability of our people in the hands of hoodlums.”
Uzodinma regretted that from report gathered, most of those who carried out the hatchet jobs in the communities around the state are from the locality, hence the need for the Traditional rulers and the Interim Management Committee(IMC) Chairmen and others at the Local Government and Autonomous Communities to put heads together to stop the menace.
The Governor said: “Any incident again that is blamed on complacency, the IMCs and the Traditional Rulers will be held responsible.”
He further directed the Traditional rulers to warn their subjects who have turned themselves into willing-tools in the hands of criminal elements to traumatize the residents to desist forthwith or have themselves to blame as “government he said is about to implement the Security Organization Law recently signed to come into full operation.”
He emphasized that the implementation will be in an indigenous manner that reflects, “Bottom-Top- Approach”.