Insecurity: South East Governors warn other regions against threat 

Governors, traditional rulers, clergymen, and opinion molders of the South East on Saturday cautioned leaders of other regions in Nigeria, to note the threat to their people and address them in order to ensure protection for the people of the South East region.

In a Communique read by the Chairman South-East Governor’s Forum, and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, after a stakeholders meeting held at the Banquet Hall, Lion Building, Government House Enugu on Saturday, Umahi noted that the South-East leaders are committed to one united Nigeria under a platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and respect for one another.

The forum while urging security agencies to discharge their duties under the rules of engagement and laws, requested the National Assembly members from the South-East region, to support the creation of state police in the on going constitutional amendment.

Leaders of the South East noted that a committee under the watch of Ohanaeze Ndigbo would be set up to articulate and address their position on all burning issues in the South East before meeting with the presidential team to fashion a way forward.

The governors condemned strongly the activities of violence and secessionists group in the South-East, saying that they are not in support of them, neither do they speak for South-East.

The communiqué read in part, “We the Igbos do reaffirm our commitment to one united Nigeria under a platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and respect for one another. We have noted threats by some groups in some other regions against our people of South-East while we firmly promise to protect everyone either from our own region or other regions living in our places. 

“We plead with the leaders of other regions to please note the threat to our people and to please address the threats to our people and to protect them. We condemn the killing of security agencies and civilians alike and the burning of infrastructure in South-East and even in other regions. 

“We request our security agencies to please discharge their duties with rules of engagement and laws. We request our National Assembly members from the South-East to please support state police creation in the on going constitutional amendment. 

The communiqué also condemned in totality the activities of secessionists group in the South-East and else where. According to the communique “We strongly proclaim that we do not support them, they do not speak for South-East. The impression that Southeast leaders are silent over some of our youths’ agitation for secessionist is not correct. South-East leaders have set up a committee to address such youths to stop and allow the elders of the South-East to address their fears. 

“The meeting has directed our governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo to liaise with the indigenes from the Nothern part of Nigeria and other indigenes of other regions that are living in the Southeast to come out openly and to assure their people and Nation Nigeria that they are very safe and well protected while living in South-East.”

Present at the meeting are governors of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Deputy governors of Imo and Anambra states, former Senate Presidents, Pius Anyim, and Ike Ekweremadu.

Others are traditional rulers, clergymen, National Assembly members from the south east, Ministers, the Leadership of Ohanaeze and that of CAN, among others.

Emmanuel Ukoh