Owerri — Tension and panic have gripped citizens of Imo State over the report of increasing presence of Hausa Fulani hardsmen who disguise as beggars and artisans in several parts of the state.

While the police said there was no cause for alarm, the State House of Assembly yesterday moved to stop posting of indigenes of Imo State to Plateau state by the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and further urged security agencies and people of the state to be vigilant.

There was an alleged arrival of large number of strange people identified as Hausa -Fulani people in the state. Text messages were also sent to people on planned mass killings by the perpetrators of the Plateau State crisis.

But the state police command urged the people to disregard such alarm saying that it has investigated and found it to be false.

The command through its public relations officer, Linus Nwaiwu, urged the people not to be misled by faceless rumour mongers whose objective was to cause confusion and destroy the peaceful co-existence and harmony between Muslims and Christians in the state.

Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly yesterday passed a motion calling on the Director-General of NYSC not to post any indigene of Imo to Plateau State until the security situation in the state improves.

The House in the motion sponsored by Mbadiwe Emelumba, (Oru West) seconded by Hon. Nze Ray Emeana from Owerri North Constituency, also resolved that the state Ministry of Sports should liaise with headquarters of NYSC to ensure compliance with the law makers' resolution.

Emelumba in pushing his motion across pointed out that the sectarian violence in Plateau has become bloody and alarming and has claimed the lives of many corps members posted to the area, noting that the directorate of NYSC and even security agencies have been unable to guarantee the safety of corps members posted to the state.

In his own contribution Nze Emeana urged the leadership of NYSC to comply with the resolution of the House by excluding citizens of Imo State from serving in Plateau State because the situation on ground in the state does not guarantee their safety. He said the lawmakers feel the impulse and reactions of the people they represent and as such would not allow their people to be killed.

While some lawmakers argued that the resolution was belated since NYSC had concluded posting and commenced orientation, Emeana said what the motion meant was that even after the orientation exercise the NYSC should redeploy all Imo indigenes posted to the crisis state and should hence forth stop posting graduates from Imo to Plateau.

On the alleged of Hausa-Fulani herdsmen in the Imo, he told Daily Champion that the assembly had directed security agencies and people of the state to be vigilant.

Speaker of the House, Hon Goodluck Opiah, stated that the house would use all known constitutional means to protect the lives and interest of citizens of the state because the lives of Imo people are very dear to the legislature.