Gov Otti Denies Involving ESN In Fight Against Fulani Herdsmen

• Governor Alex Otti denied involving ESN to confront Fulani herders.
• His media adviser called the claims false, malicious, and inciting fear.
• Government relies on official security agencies and Operation Crush initiative.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has firmly denied claims that his administration enlisted members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to tackle Fulani herdsmen and protect farmers.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Ferdinand Ekeoma, on Sunday, Otti described the reports as false, malicious, and aimed at inciting disaffection among citizens. Ekeoma said the rumours, circulated by a faceless blogger, were intended to create tension and fear within the state.

“The attention of Abia State government has been drawn to a post alleging that Governor Alex Otti approved the involvement of IPOB’s Eastern Security Network to confront Fulani herdsmen and protect farmers. This statement is false, misleading, and has no connection to the Otti-led government,” Ekeoma stated.

He explained that the government had initially ignored similar fake reports but decided to respond now to prevent unsuspecting members of the public from being misled. Ekeoma stressed that the Otti administration would never engage non-state actors to handle security matters.

“For the records, the government under Dr. Alex Otti could not have contemplated embracing non-state actors to fight criminals or insecurity in any part of the state,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s commitment to security, Ekeoma noted the establishment of a joint security taskforce codenamed “Operation Crush,” which has reportedly achieved significant success in keeping Abia safe, despite isolated cases of armed robbery and kidnapping.

He warned those spreading false information to desist, stating that their actions could attract severe consequences when apprehended.

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