Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru announced on Saturday that the state has recorded no kidnapping incidents since he assumed office, asserting that Ebonyi remains one of the safest states in Nigeria.
Governor Welcomes Media Team
Nwifuru made this declaration in Abakaliki while welcoming over 50 editors and journalists who arrived for the second round of the Presidential Media Tour of Projects in the South-East geopolitical zone. The tour, organized by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, began in Ebonyi and will cover all five South-East states—Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, and Imo—over five days. Its purpose is to showcase federal and state projects under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Governor’s Challenge to Journalists
Addressing the visiting journalists, the governor urged them to assess his administration fairly based on what they would witness on the ground. “Judge us fairly. What you are going to see may not be what you expected. You may even be shocked by the level of development,” he said.
According to him, every community and local government area in the state has multiple ongoing or completed projects, particularly road infrastructure. “There is no place you will go to that you will not see more than five projects. The minimum project you can see is roads of between 10 and 22 kilometers, while there are others extending well beyond that,” he explained.
Ebonyi as ‘Salt of the Nation’
Nwifuru described Ebonyi as “the salt of the nation,” stating that the state has distinguished itself through ambitious infrastructure development and prudent resource management. He also highlighted the security situation, assuring the media team that they could move freely without fear. “This is the safest place in this country. Since I became governor, we have never recorded any kidnapping case. You can make your search and find out. Even at midnight, you can move anywhere,” he said. He added that his administration has invested heavily in security and maintains close collaboration with community leaders and security agencies to keep the state peaceful.
Presidential Aide Commends Development
Earlier, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the media tour aims to provide journalists with firsthand knowledge of projects executed by both the Federal Government and state governments. Onanuga, who described Ebonyi as a second home, noted that he had previously visited the state and witnessed significant development efforts. “I have seen what you have done. I am telling people to come and see something they may not have seen in another part of Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that the exercise is being undertaken on behalf of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a platform led by Hope Uzodimma, to showcase the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as well as development initiatives by state governments. “I am not just here for the President. I am also here to showcase what governments have done. The journalists here will see many things and they will be proud of what this government has achieved,” Onanuga added.
Nationwide Media Tour
The nationwide media tour was launched earlier this year to enable journalists to physically inspect projects across the country. The first phase covered the North-West, where participants visited major federal infrastructure projects, including sections of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, the Kaduna-Kano-Maradi rail corridor, and irrigation schemes in Jigawa and Kebbi states. In the South-East edition, participants are expected to inspect federal legacy projects alongside state-funded infrastructure projects. Organizers say the exercise aims to promote factual reporting and give Nigerians firsthand information on the impact of government policies and programs.
