Collaboration between the Government and the Church is critical to the fight against rumor mongering and misinformation.

This is according to the
Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

Governor Uzodimma stated this at the St. John Beloved Catholic Church at Umuna Ahu Uratta, Owerri on Sunday during a thanksgiving Service to mark one year of the death of Chief (Sir) Patrick Chukwuemeka Chikeka, husband of the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Theresa Chikeka.

 
The Governor specifically charged the leadership of the Church not to be deceived by misinformation flying around over the recent incident at Awo Omamma involving security operatives and some bad boys.

He charged the Church in particular and  members of the public at large not to swallow hook, line and sinker any information without taking the pains to crosscheck their authenticity.
 
 
Governor Uzodimma further challenged the Church leadership to take seriously the activities of some desperate politicians in Imo State who are deliberately working to destabilise the government and the state at large using false information as their tool of trade.

 
Throwing more light on the Awo Omamma incident, the Governor said that the security operatives acted on intelligence that the deceased were heading for a meeting at their Camp in Awo Omamma where they usually plan on how to enforce the Monday sit-at-home order in that part of Imo State.
 
His words: “My administration will never be part of the killing of my people.”
 
 
Governor Uzodimma reiterated that the primary reason government exists is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry, and that the worse thing that can happen to a society is if government abandons her responsibility to non state actors.
 
He explained: “There is no responsible government that would want to take life because the reason for government is to protect lives and property. There is also no responsible government that would encourage any act that would take human life, particularly innocent lives.”