Abia State government said that it has uncovered plots by oppositions in the state to hire hoodlums outside the state to hold protests in the two major cities of Umuahia, the state capital and Aba, the commercial nerve of the state respectively.
While the government couldnโt mention when the protests were scheduled to hold, a release by the Dr. Ukpai Agwu Ukpai Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor also claimed that some desperate politicians in the state were equally planning to kill the woman that led a protest in the support of the governor in Aba on Wednesday.
According to Ukpai, the governorโs detractorsโ aim of importing the protesters is to score cheap political point, as Ukpai claimed that the โdesperate politiciansโ would turn around to blame the governor for the protests.
While indicating stressing that the state government under the leadership of Governor Ikpeazu is open to allow the citizens of the state to express their grievance however called on opposition leaders in the state to do such within the confines to the law.
Ukpai called on security agencies to be alerted to efforts to cause bread down of law and order in the state and enjoined law-abiding citizens to go about their businesses without any fear of molestation.
โAbia State Government has uncovered plots by desperate opposition politicians to attack the woman that led the recent uniformed procession by some women at Aba along with her group members and make it appear as if it is the government and PDP supporters that carried out the action.
โWe also wish to inform members of the public and security agencies in the state of another plot by the same opposition politicians to orchestrate a riot in Umuahia and Aba with hired hoodlums from another state engaged to shoot at demonstrators and then turn around to blame it on the state government.
โThese plans were perfected at a meeting held outside the state with the arrowheads already recruiting foot soldiers to execute their evil plan.
โAs a truly democratic government, we wholeheartedly welcome genuine grievances expressed within the ambit of the law including peaceful demonstrations, we have however alerted security agencies in the state to the evil plots by these desperate politicians mostly resident outside the state who also wish to use aged pensioners as preliminary baits in their nefarious plan to overwhelm the state and unleash violence on our people.
โWhile we urge law-abiding citizens and residents to go about their normal businesses, we strongly advise those behind these plans to desist from them or be ready to bear the full wrath of the law as the state government is taking necessary measures to ensure that the plots are foiled and those involved dealt with appropriately.
โAnyone who fails to abide by this warning does so at his or her own peril.โ
In a telephone chat with the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Ene Okon, he confirmed that he has received the Press Release from Ukpai, but added that the police were already working on the intelligence to ascertain the veracity of the claim about the impending protests alert.
Okon however warned that the security agency would not fold its arms to watch some persons come and truncate the existing peace in the state.
โAs a Police Officer and someone that is in-charge of the internal security in the state, I had to work on that intelligence that was gathered.
โAs a police officer, once intelligence is sent to you, you have to analyze it in order to authenticate it or otherwise. The outcome of the analysis will now determine what next that you are going to do.
โMy own is to send out security operatives to go and find out and for me to fortify the state against any breakdown of law and order.
โAbians should not get involved in any clandestine activity or activities that could undermine the peace of the state. Police will not fold its arms to watch the peace and tranquillity that is prevailing in the state being truncated.โ
