Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to working with the military to stamp out crime and criminality in the South-East and Nigeria at large.

Uzodimma said insecurity in the region which is fuelled by banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality, has impacted negatively on the socio-economic lives of the people, stressing that concerted efforts are required to change the tide.

The governor said this when the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Enugu, Major Gen. Umar T. Musa, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Thursday.

Welcoming the GOC and his entourage, Governor Uzodimma thanked him for the visit and reminded him that “the South-East is under siege and attack by the activities of ESN, bandits, armed robbers, and criminals.”

“All efforts being made to stamp them out has been futile as they are adamant in their activities of destroying government property, killing innocent citizens, burning down police stations and generally retarding development in the zone,” the governor was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku.

Uzodimma noted that insecurity has challenged the government, saying the government will “continue to encourage the military and other arms of the Armed Forces to help government bring peace and ensure security to the South-East.”

He further told the GOC to see him and the Imo State Government as partners.

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The governor, however, commended the Commanding Officer in charge of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Bridg. Gen. S. Sulaiman, who he said “has done a lot of job with his men in the fight against banditry and criminality, where even some of the military men paid the supreme price in the course of duty.”

Governor Uzodimma urged Musa to take the advantage of his tour of formations in the Division to “study the topography of the area, introduce new techniques and do more in the protection of the citizens of the South-East, especially in this time of Christmas so that our people will enjoy the Christmas season to the fullest.”

He also encouraged the GOC and his men not to hesitate to ask for any information that will help them to achieve their objectives of making the region safe and peaceful.

In his part, Musa told the governor that they are in Imo State “to pay a courtesy call as tradition demands and to inform the governor that I have fully assumed duties as the new GOC in the South-East.”

He reminded the governor that the role of his Division is to restore peace and push bandits and criminals in the zone away “so that the citizens will be allowed to go about their businesses without molestations and harassment.”

The GOC said so far the soldiers “have tried to curtail the activities of the irredentist to ensure they are no more a threat to the law abiding citizens of the zone who are loyal to the rules, regulations, and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He assured that it is their responsibility to ensure that the criminals are flushed out so that the citizens will go about their normal activities and enjoy their normal life.

The GOC was accompanied by Brig. Gen. T.B Ugiagbe (Commander Military Intelligence 82 Division); Brig. Gen. S. Sulaiman (Commander 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze); Col. Haruna Audu (Deputy Chief of Staff 82 Division); Lt. Col. S. U. Tije (Commander Military Police); Maj. J.E Unuakhalu (Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division); Maj. I. S. Wakir (Operations Officer 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze); and Lt. A. M. Ombu (Community Officer 34 Brigade Provost Company Obinze).

The Star