President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the deployment of advanced technology to address insecurity in the southeast.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma revealed this to House of Representatives correspondents on Tuesday after a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, he came to see the president to ask him to approve the deployment of technology to allow the area to deal effectively with the threat of insecurity.

With the president’s approval, Uzodinma said that advanced surveillance equipment will soon be delivered to the southeast region that will enhance the fight against insecurity.

The governor said he also came to thank the president for what he has done for the region, including the recent conversion of the Owerri Federal Medical Center into a University Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology, and the approval that made the College of Education Alvan Ikoku. to a Federal College of Education.

He said: “I also thank you for the various supports you have given us during this our period of security challenges and the support you have also given us in terms of the various approvals.

“The approval to convert the Owerri Federal Medical Center into a teaching hospital for the Federal University of Technology, the approval to convert the Alvan Ikoku College of Education into a federal education college.

“Only two weeks ago, the Igbo who returned home from Lagos and out of the south-east enjoyed the benefit of the second Niger bridge, which is commendable.

“I also asked him for more support, to support us with some technological deployments, we have planned to be able to do an advanced type of security control in the southeast. And he has also given his approval to that.

“And in a moment, we’ll get some surveillance equipment and some modern technology that will help us manage security so that we can fight crime with little or no collateral damage to the environment.”

Speaking on security for Imo State in the New Year, he said: “Well my people are enthusiastic and committed Nigerians and we believe in the unity of the country. And we believe that in order to grow as a people, we need the support and cooperation of the federal government, and that is what I have always stood for. So going forward, I know that 2023 will be better than 2022. And the level of development that we witness from 2020 to 2022 will improve.

“And my people have seen many things. If you go to the south-east, in Imo state for example, we got the approval of Mr. President who has now allowed the Imo government to partner with the Nigerian Navy to dredge the Oguta river to the Orashi river to the sea , which is opening. that maritime route, then if there is a Naval base, that now we are going to manage and control the vandalism in the oil pipelines, the theft of crude oil and all the forms of crime that besieged that area for a long time. And the crime rate has dropped tremendously since the Navel base was established.

“So I think we have hope for a better Nigeria. The road that we have just completed which was commissioned by Mr. President, Owerri to Orlu Dualized Expressway, Mr. President has approved the Imo State Government to be reimbursed.

“The good news is that every day I go to the president, with one positive approval or the other. So our people are happy, we are committed, we are happy, we have never had such a good time. So, that’s why I keep telling you that the party to win in my state is APC.

“Those who are fighting me in my state are not saying that we are not working. They’re not saying we’re not developing the place. They do not accuse us of corruption. All they say is that they are plotting, instigating insecurity out of desperation and then blaming the insecurity on a government.

“I have seen in the subnational that critical security measures are administered and controlled by the federal government. So you can’t blame me for the insecurity, because you can’t point to Imo State. National security is about the 36 states of the Federation and FCT inclusive.

“So, I think we’ve done very well. And I’m happy, by the grace of God, as soon as we can reduce security to nothing, we’ll have an environment where we’ll all celebrate and be happy.

“During this Christmas season, we had relative peace in Imo State, and Christmas is a very critical period for us and New Year is too. And aside from a few scratches on the interior, we are now aware of the security situation in Imo State.”