Following
the attack on operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission in Owerri, Imo State, last week, the federal government has
decided to beef up security in the state.

The governor of the state, Ikedi
Ohakim, who was at the presidential villa to see the acting president,
Goodluck Jonathan, said he was there to brief him on the situation in
his state.

Not a political mission

Mr. Ohakim dismissed insinuations that
he was at the villa to submit names of possible ministers from his
state. He, however said, “I am a governor of a state and I have the
right to submit my ministerial list but that is not what I am here for.
I have come to confer with the acting president on the issue of
security in the state and, luckily, the acting president has made some
approval. The government has agreed to tackle the issue of security,
gangsterism and kidnapping.”

Ohakim added that he trusts the acting president to make the right decision on whom to choose to run the government.

“The acting president is pragmatic and
is forward looking; he knows what to do. He knows the country has been
trekking and we need to run; we need to fast forward. My mind tells me
that, come what may, he will look for key professionals, those who can
run with the ball, and give them responsibilities of driving the
activities of this country because we can’t wait forever. I know who he
is and he has what it takes. In the next few days you will be happy
with what is coming out from the exercise,” he said.

Background to the visit

Gunmen suspected to be assassins had on
Friday, March 19, attacked operatives of the EFCC along the
Mbano/Okigwe Road on their way from the Federal High Court, where they
had attended a hearing of the trial of Herbert Chikwe, husband of
former minister of aviation and Nigeria’s ambassador to the
Netherlands, Kema Chikwe, leaving one dead.