The Imo State Government has commenced clampdown on criminal vandals of the state's assets, and has consequently put chairmen and other stakeholders across its 27 local government areas on red alert to ensure full implementation.

This development is sequel to disturbing reports of criminal vandalism across the state.

Consequently, all the 27 local government chairmen in the state, their councillors, supervisory councillors, town unions and their leaderships and other critical stakeholders, has been directed to put "machinery in motion aimed at fishing out the criminal vandals of government assets in their environment."

The state governor, Hope Uzodinma, in reading out the riot act recently in Owerri, the state capital during a meeting with all the major stakeholders, primarily, local government officials, lamented the unpatriotic acts of enemies of the state who destroy or steal government's assets, "such as solar light panels/other fittings, power transformer components, hospital/health centre fittings and equipment, school laboratories equipment and libraries/ICT facilities, among others."

Warning that the state will no longer tolerate such acts, Gov. Uzodinma charged the local governments along with all the aforementioned stakeholders, as grassroots first hand beneficiaries of the amenities, to publicly identify any vandal (s) and hand them to the appropriate authorities.

"To achieve the desired result, Governor Uzodinma has tasked the local government areas authorities to work collaboratively with requisite offices in the state, including the office of the Commissioner for Vigilante Services, Special Advisers - Security, Vigilante Services, Monitoring and Compliance, Rural Development - among others, to ensure that the right things are done," his Chief Press Secretary / Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Oguwike Nwachukwu, said in a state government release dated May 20, 2025 made available to News Express.

He said: "Henceforth, all persons found to be vandalising government assets, directly or indirectly, either in the cities or in the communities, are to be arrested immediately and dealt with according to the law.

"Those involved in vandalism of government assets, the contractor/owner of the house using the roads as slab for purposes of construction and those found to be encroaching and stealing government assets, are to be meted with the punishment befitting their misdemeanour according to the law," Nwachukwu warned.