Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, on Thursday, held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Obiano, who updated Buhari on security challenges facing the state, said bandits from neigbouring states are responsible for the killings and disruption of public peace in Anambra.
He described the call for the declaration of state of emergency in Anambra to address security challenges in the state as “very unfortunate’’
The meeting is coming after the Federal Government threatened to invoke emergency rule as part of measures to address security challenges and safeguard electoral processes in Anambra.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federal, Abubakar Malami, had on Wednesday, warned that federal government may be forced to impose State of Emergency in Anambra to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state
Speaking on Thursday, Obiano dismissed the contemplation of declaring a state of emergency in his state.
He said: “Well, that’s a very unfortunate comment by the Attorney-General, Malami – very, very unfortunate.
“I also reported that to the President and this is not in the books of the president because he knows that Anambra has been the safest state in Nigeria for seven years plus.
“These invaders from outside Anambra state, from the neighbouring towns, we are going to deal with them. We’re already working, there’s nothing.
“Even to contemplate a state of emergency is unfortunate, look at what is happening in the north; they kill dozens every day. Because less than 15 people were killed in Anambra in two weeks, is that a reason for somebody to call for a state of emergency?
“That’s a very unfortunate comment by Malami. I will call him to express reservation on those kinds of comments, he shouldn’t try that,’’ he said.
The governor said he also used the opportunity of his visit to Abuja to brief and solicit support from some security agencies towards addressing security challenges in Anambra.
“We are getting more boots on ground, we’re getting more equipment and I believe in less than two weeks all these things will be over.
“We’ll overwhelm and conquer all these miscreants that came from other states nearby to come and harass Anambra people.
“Let me stop at saying that they are from neighbouring states,’’ NAN quoted him as saying.
