The Igbo National Congress has asked the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the state.

INC’s request followed Sunday’s beheading of the Sole Administrator of the Ideato North Local Government Area of the state, Chris Ohizu, in a forest by gunmen threatening to truncate the February and March general elections in the South East.

A statement issued in Owerri, the state capital, by Chilos Godsent, INC president, asked the governor to set up a community security network to curb insecurity in the state.

The statement read “The Igbo National Council (INC) Condemns in Strong Terms the Brutal Murder of Hon Chris Ohizu – the Sole Administrator of the Ideato North LGA on Sunday 22nd January, 2023 in a forest. 

“We watched with tears in our eyes the viral video of the humiliation and slaughter of Hon Chris Ohizu, the Sole Administrator of Ideato North LGA in Imo State by gunmen threatening to commit more deadly killings.

“Consequent upon the above, the Igbo National Council (INC) hereby calls on the Government of Imo State led by Senator Hope Uzodimma to immediately declare a State of Emergency on the rapidly growing Insecurity in the State by mandating every Autonomous Community in Imo State to set up a functional Community Vigilante Security Outfit that will be used as mechanism for intelligence gatherings and neutralization of planed crimes and attacks.

“We also recommend that the volunteers to the Proposed Community Vigilante Security Outfit should be well trained on Early Warning, Early Responses and combat operations.”