The
Chairman of the South-east Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave
Umahi, has said the forum decided to proscribe the activities of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB to stop the rising tension in the zone.
Mr.
Umahi, who briefed journalists in his office in Abakaliki said the leader of
IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, was gradually losing control of the situation and his
members prompting the governors to wade in to prevent further bloodshed. He
said the proscription had achieved the desired result.
He
said IPOB has lost its original ideal by causing unnecessary tension and
killings in the South-east which he said has affected investment drive in the
region.
The
governor also said that based on the evidence before him, the military did not
attack IPOB members on Sunday as claimed by Mr. Kanu and that it was the IPOB
members who threw bottles and stones at the military officers who were passing
by.
“When
you put a small fire, it can go very far and become difficult to control,” Mr.
Umahi said.
“The
IPOB activities were gradually getting out of the control of Nnamdi Kanu.
Soldiers were passing on the way when IPOB members started throwing stones and
other objects on them and it sparked off the clash between the group and the
military.
“It
is a shame that when this thing happened, a man called Charles Ogbu had to send
phone numbers of all South-east governors, the Senate President and others and
all our people could do was to be calling us to insult us. These are people who
never experienced any war in their lives.”
He
said the lives of northerners and all non-indigenes in the state and zone must
be guaranteed at all times, warning that security agencies have been directed
to deal decisively with anyone that tries to cause a breach of the peace.
“Our
focus is how to save lives of every Nigerian and we believe in a united
Nigeria. Lives of people are involved and we must not play politics with that,”
he said.
“Anybody
that wants to foment trouble must be crushed and I want security agencies to
beef up security around all the non-indigenes in the state and to report to me
any problem because we must maintain the peace.”
The
governor called on youth to stop insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and
leaders of the country as according to him, this was bad.
He
also noted that the northern governors will soon visit the South-east, a visit
which will also be reciprocated by the South-east governors to the North as a
means of fostering unity in the country.
He
said majority of the Igbos do not want secession from Nigeria but to be treated
fairly and justly in the county.
“That
is why we are all talking about restructuring, there is no part of this country
that is not feeling marginalised somehow and that is why all the zones are
setting up committees on restructuring,” the governor said.
Mr.
Umahi, however, noted that injustice or marginalisation should not be a reason
to talk about secession maintaining that dialogue should be the best way to
resolve and redress all differences.
On
operation Egwu Eke II (Python dance II), the governor said the exercise was
never targeted at IPOB but intended to curb rising incidents of crime
especially kidnapping and armed robbery in the state.
He
noted that no one including the military expected that there will be violence
as the Egwu Eke II that was staged last year was largely successful.
Heads
of security agencies in the state and some principal officers of the state
government attended the briefing.
The
South-east Governors Forum rose from its meeting on Friday to announce the
proscription of IPOB in all the five states of the zone.
They
also appealed to President Muhammad Buhari to withdraw soldiers from the zone
while the police carry out their constitutional duty of securing lives and
property.
The
meeting was also attended by Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Willie Obiano
(Anambra) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) while Rochas Okorocha of Imo was
represented by his deputy.
Also
in attendance were the Ohanaeze leadership led by Chigozie Ogbu, former deputy
governor of Ebonyi State, who represented John Nwodo, the President General of
the socio-cultural organisation.
The
National Assembly members led by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and
the GOC 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Adamu Abubakar, were also in
attendance.
Clashes
between IPOB members and the security officials have led to several injuries in
Abia with a police station also burnt.
IPOB
wants an independent country of Biafra and says it is a non-violent
organisation, although its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, recently said the group may
reconsider its non-violence stance.
- Premium Times
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