2027: I’ll tackle insecurity if elected Imo West Senator – Egwuagu

A former army officer, Retired Brig.-Gen. Kalu Egwuagu, has pledged to tackle the growing spate of insecurity in Imo West Senatorial District if elected senator in the 2027 general elections, using his experience.

Egwuagu, a retired Nigerian army general from Izombe, an oil-bearing community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo, disclosed his intention in a meeting with the members of Izombe Central Union (ICU) in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that apart from tackling security concerns, education and agriculture would be other areas of priority attention, should he be elected into office.

“If I win election as the next senator for Imo West Senatorial District, I will help address the problem of insecurity and agriculture, to possibly encourage our people to go into massive food production and opening ranches.

“I will equally show serious interest in education, especially reforming the primary and secondary schools to meet international standard,’’ he said.

Egwuagu, who said that he intends to contest on the platform of African Democratic Congress (ADC), attributed the suffering of people in most communities in the area to poor representation.

“I have been asking myself, if all of us have to sit down, will this situation ever change? The worst is the level of insecurity in our area.

“I was the one that brought peace as a serving military officer between the Ijaw and Ilaje people in Ondo State. I equally brokered peace between the Gembu and Mambilla people in Taraba.

“Again, I was the person who helped to solve the `no story’ security challenge in Izombe when some bad boys attempted to turn the community into something else,’’ he said.

Egwuagu assured that if given the opportunity, the security challenge in the senatorial district, Imo and the entire South-East geo-political zone would be tackled with viguor.

“I am saying this because if there is peace in only Izombe or Imo West without extending same to other parts of Imo and the entire Igbo land, criminals will be hiding in the neighbouring communities to come and wreak havoc in our own areas.

“I will help to bring complete peace and security in our area and that is what is pushing me to vie for the position,’’ he said.

The retired military officer said that he decided to inform members of the Abuja branch of ICU, among the first phase of his consultations, as a member and to seek their support in whatever way that could make him succeed.

Chairman of ICU, Abuja, Mr Valentine Onwuka, commended Egwuagu for his love and respect for the union.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you because you are among the illustrious sons of our community that meant well for the people,” Onwuka said.

Other members of the union, including Rev. Eze Obizue, Chief Jude Fadas, Alex Ihesie and Uzoma Okorafor, praised Egwuagu for his past philanthropic gestures to the community and prayed God to lead him through the struggle.