“Are there rightful agitations in the South-East. Yes. Has it turned violent? Yes. It has been hijacked”
“We don’t want war, we don’t want to secede, we want to be a part of a fair Nigeria where justice, equity and freedom exist,” so declares Ebonyi Governor David Umahi.
Persecondnews recalls that the zone has become a hotbed of violence and criminalities with gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (lPOB) burning down police stations, prisons, and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
According to him, the South-East geopolitical zone is against secession in any form or coloration, lamenting the parlous security situation in the zone.
Umahi, who is also the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, spoke on Thursday at the media briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team held in Aso Rock, Abuja.
On the peaceful agitation by IPOB and other groups in the zone, the spokesman for the governors said the agitations have been hijacked.
Umahi described the agitation for a better region by MASOB, IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) as offshoots of years of neglect by previous governments.
He urged youths and other agitators to aggregate their demands for onward transmission to the Federal Government by the governors of the Southeast.
“I believe in dialogue, and that we can sit down to know and resolve our differences and strengthen our cooperation as a people,” the governor said, while condemning the ongoing mayhem in the region.
Umahi, however, wants security agencies in the zone to upscale efforts in curtailing the situation.
On the recently launched of Ebube Agu in Southeast equivalent of Southwest security outfit — Amotekun, Umahi said the outfit is legitimate and has come to stay.
He, however, said peace-loving citizens have nothing to fear.
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