…demands peace in S’East
Friday Olokor, Abuja
South East socio-cultural organisation under the aegis of Igbo Bu Igbo Foundation, on Saturday, called on the Federal Government to consider a political solution for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and release him from the custody of the Department of State Services.
The group said this while sharing concerns on the high level of insecurity in the South-East zone of the country, particularly in Ebonyi and Imo states with a demand that government should review the use and deployment of Ebubeagu security outfit.
The IBI said that the South-East had witnessed increasing insecurity, characterised by arsons, kidnapping and incessant killing of innocent citizens including security agents, and believed that Ebubeagu has become a weapon to fight perceived political enemies.
The chairman of the IBI Foundation, Humphrey Orjiako, raised the issues during a press briefing which held at the FCT council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja.
He said, “The Biafra agitators should keep their mission peaceful and shun any form of violence or armed struggle, no matter the temptation or provocation.
“The Federal Government should end the Nnamdi Kanu saga by allowing a political solution in order to rest the case. The government should take necessary measures to obey the rule of law.
“The Igbo Bu Igbo is deeply worried by this growing Insecurity. Granted that no state is spared in the South-East, it is noteworthy that the incidence is worse in Ebonyi and Imo states. Beyond the gravity of insecurity, the two state governments have also been accused by some of their own people of being responsible for perpetrating much of the insecurity through the reckless deployment of the Ebube Agu security outfits for politics and other acts of complicity or complacency.
“Coincidentally too, Ebonyi and Imo are the only two states in the South-East where the proposed regional outfit, Ebube Agu, is said to have taken off. Igbo Bu Igbo is not affiliated with any political party or tendency. Its sole interest and intention are to canvass for the restoration of peace, security, and stability in the South-East zone.
“There have been reports from a reliable source that Ebube Agu is responsible for many of the abuses and extrajudicial killings of innocent citizens, especially the youths.”
According to him, the establishment of Ebube Agu was to complement the conventional police and to serve as a community policing outfit to ensure better security of the life and property in the South-East Zone; but the reverse has been the case.
“Regrettably, the reverse appears to be the case, as the Ebube Agu outfits both in Ebonyi and Imo States seem to have become more of the problem than a solution to the growing Insecurity in the zone.
“Igbo Bu Igbo notes that from all evidence available to it, Ebube Agu is being deployed as a political tool against opponents, several examples of such abuses are available in a public place.”
The IBI boss urged the Inspector-General of Police to call the police command of Ebonyi and Imo states to order and compel them to put a stop to any excesses of Ebube Agu in the two states, and investigate all abuses and extrajudicial killings by the Ebube Agu.
