With the above terse words, the president had set the most decisive tone and uncompromising onslaught against the intractable bloody campaign by insurgents operating in the north eastern parts of the country. Immediately after this declaration, troops were moved to the affected states. Camps of insurgents were invaded and dislodged. The border regions of Chad and Niger Republic were liberated and normalcy is gradually returning again, at least, according to military authorities. 

The United States of America predicted that Nigeria may disintegrate in 2015. This expensive statement was some how greeted with divergent opinion. Prior to America’s wishful statement, there had been and have been religious, political and ethnic crises in the country. However, the crisis that usually gets multi-dimensional spread is religion. 

With the  declaration of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Goodluck Jonathan last month, not a few Nigerians have heaved a sigh of relief. At least, if not strong enough to make them sleep with two eyes closed, it remarkably upped the ante in the government’s war against insurgency. 

This is not the best of times for the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuke Amaechi. Last Monday Amaechi was suspended by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after an emergency meeting of the national leadership of the party. The party subsequently set up an 11-man investigation panel headed by respected legal luminary, Joe Gadzama, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

As if kismet was not done with Imo State, on Thursday May 16, 2013, tragedy struck at Umudagu Ihitte Mbieri in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State. A gigantic ancestral tree said to be over 300 years old was uprooted by heavy windstorm and 16 persons were killed in one fell swoop leaving several others injured. Remains of the dead persons, mainly women, were same night deposited at the Aladimma Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, FMC Owerri morgue, while the injured were rushed to the FMC for medical attention.

Not relenting on its earlier breakthrough, the Imo State police on Thursday, May 9, 2013 came with another shocker. The Ambush Squad this time uncovered the embalmed remains of a 78 year old woman, identified as late Mrs Lucy Osigweh, who was declared missing 10 years ago, in a big cupboard in a private room suspected to be a shrine belonging to her second son, one Dr Bede Chimezie Osigweh. 

The month of May 2013 is fast elapsing but would leave behind it an awful scar in the memory of the citizenry. This is so because of the series of horrific incidents that occurred in Imo State within the month. It all began like any other month but midway turned to a spectacular season of weird happenings that undoubtedly shook the state, the nation and perhaps the entire globe.  

Dear compatriots,
1.    It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.  These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.