Gov Uzodimma To Give Bandits Amnesty Ahead Of Buhari’s Imo Visit

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has declared a 10-day window for bandits occupying forests in the state to surrender their arms and be granted amnesty.

Governor Uzodimma asked the bandits to surrender the arms to traditional rulers in communities across the state or face bombardment from security agencies.

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The directive came ahead of a scheduled visit to the state by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Uzodimma, who spoke at the government house chapel on Sunday, said the 10-day amnesty takes effect immediately, warning that his government will flush out remnants of the criminals in the bushes as the government had procured weapons for the exercise.

“Surrender yourselves and your arms to traditional rulers for unconditional pardon or severe consequences will follow afterward.

“The Government has decided to rid the forests in Imo State of bandits and accordingly, has procured the necessary equipment for the purpose

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“Imo State will take delivery of military equipment that will be used to clear the remnants of bandits hiding in various bushes in the state.”

Also, the governor said that the state will host this year’s Army Day celebration from the 30th of June to July 6th and more than 10,000 personnel of the Army, Air force, Navy, and the police will be in attendance.

He said that by Monday, June 27, the delivery of arms and equipment that will be used to clear off remnants of bandits will be delivered to the state.

“The State is more determined now than before to clear all bandits and to achieve this, the expected equipment and additional recruitment of more Ebube-Agu personnel working in collaboration with the Security Agencies in the State will be used to clear all the waterways and ride the state of bandits including crude-oil theft.

“All the waterways are under surveillance with the delivery of new Naval Equipment to the Naval Base in Oguta.”

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The governor also announced that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, who is expected to declare the Army Day celebration open, will visit the state on the 12th and 13th of July to commission the Owerri Orlu and Owerri Okigwe road and also flag off construction of the dualization of the Owerri-Mbaise- Umuahia and Orlu Akaokwa roads.

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