Governor Francis Nwifuru has declared that Ebonyi State remains one of Nigeria’s safest states, insisting that no kidnapping incident has been recorded since he assumed office.
Speaking in Abakaliki while receiving more than 50 editors and journalists participating in the second phase of the Presidential Media Tour of Projects in the South-East, Nwifuru said visitors would see extensive development projects across the state.
The tour, organised by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team, is expected to cover the five South-East states over five days. The initiative aims to showcase projects linked to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Addressing the visiting journalists, Nwifuru urged them to assess his administration based on what they witnessed 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 the governor, infrastructure projects are spread across communities and local government areas, with road construction featuring prominently.
“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 kilometres, while there are others extending well beyond that,” he said.
Describing Ebonyi as “the salt of the nation”, Nwifuru said the state’s development drive had been achieved through prudent management of resources and strategic investment in infrastructure.
The governor also highlighted the state’s security record, assuring members of the media team that they could move around 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,” Nwifuru stated.
He added that his administration had strengthened security through collaboration with community leaders and security agencies across the state.
Earlier, Bayo Onanuga said the media tour was designed to give journalists first-hand access to projects being executed by federal and state governments.
Onanuga, who described Ebonyi as a second home, said he had witnessed significant development during previous visits to the state.
“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.
The nationwide media tour was launched earlier this year to enable journalists to inspect major infrastructure projects across the country, with previous visits covering key road, rail and irrigation projects in northern Nigeria.
