Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said the recent wave of insecurity in the state is caused by opposition politicians, with external support.
The revelation comes amid rising concerns among residents and security officials alike, following a series of violent attacks, including the killing of soldiers and police officers.
The Nigerian government had previously accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of orchestrating the violence, but IPOB has consistently denied any involvement.
In a statement released by Otti’s media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor absolved the group. He revealed that his administration has uncovered that opposition politicians in the state, rather than IPOB, are responsible for sponsoring the attacks.
According to Otti, the sole agenda of these opposition politicians is to cause disaffection and distract the government from its focus on the development of the state. He explained that the violence started in late May and has continued to escalate as part of a strategy to disrupt his administration’s focus on development.
“The sole agenda is to cause disaffection and distract the government from its focus on the development of the state,” Otti said.
Governor Otti vowed that his administration would not allow any group or individual to destabilize the peace in Abia State. He stated that a “counter-offensive” was being launched to eliminate the terror structures set up by criminals. “It needs to be understood that the government will not sit idly by and watch any person or group of persons unleash violence on innocent and peace-loving citizens of the state,” he said.
