Clash between ESN and soldiers in Orlu was due to falsehood by opposition – Imo Gov’t

Imo State Government has said the clash between soldiers and operatives of the Eastern Security Network in Orlu was due to the falsehood peddled by the opposition in the state.

Mbadiwe Emelumba, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, while answering questions during a live news interactive phone-in programme on Darling FM, Owerri, explained that the opposition has been peddling falsehood that government reserved acres of land for herdsmen in Imo State.

At least five soldiers and three civilians were killed during the clash between the security outfit and soldiers in the LGA last week.

Several business premises were also burnt during the mayhem.

Imo State Governor, Hope Usodimma later imposed a curfew on Orlu and eight other surrounding LGAs.

According to Emelumba: “They kept peddling that lie repeatedly until, maybe IPOB believed it and started going about, looking for where a non-existent land was. That was part of the genesis of the crisis.

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“The government holds the opposition squarely responsible for this because they knew that what they were saying was not true and they kept sending that message across.

“It was just like when they said that the government wanted to rename Imo State University to Abba Kyari University. There was also a time they said that the Governor was establishing Almajiti school.

“These are lies and we know they are lies, but they keep peddling them. They use it to incite insurrection. We know those who are responsible for this and they will definitely account for their action because you can’t cause this level of carnage on a people, based on the fabrication of lies and hope to get away with it.”

The commissioner said that those who are behind the incitements know themselves.