Uzodinma brands youths killed at Imo wedding as bandits

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, on Tuesday branded youths killed by the South-East security outfit, Ebubeagu, at a wedding ceremony in Awomamma, Oru West local government area of the state as bandits.

The youths were reportedly killed on Sunday when the operatives of the security outfit opened fire at guests during a traditional marriage ceremony.

But Uzodinma has insisted that the slain youths were not real wedding guests contrary to claim by community leaders.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, he described claims that the victims were wedding guests as propaganda, and vowed that the state government would not succumb to propaganda and blackmail in its quest to protect the lives and property of the citizens.

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The statement read: “Governor Uzodimma said the government had been briefed on the incident by the Director of State Services in an interim report made available to members of the Security Council.

“The Governor added that the DSS Director confirmed that his men carried out an operation in a camp at Awomamma with the assistance of their informant and not at a wedding place as claimed by the youths and that it was in the process that some bandits were neutralised.

“He said while the Security Council awaits detailed report on the incident, it is important that the public are wary of those using the incident as propaganda tool to blackmail the Security agencies and the government.

“The governor insisted that the whole thing boils down to propaganda and blackmail targeted at the security agencies.”

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