Nnamdi Kanu: Southeast Governors Say Insecurity Has Gone Beyond IPOB, Plan To Meet Buhari

Governors from the southeast region of the country have announced plans to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on various issues affecting the region.

This was made known to newsmen in a statement on Thursday by the Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, David Umahi.

He observed that what they plan to discuss with the President includes the fate of the arrested leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu as well as how to arrest the growing insecurity in the region.

The Governor in the statement pointed out that IPOB can no longer be blamed for the security challenges in the region as many other criminals have taken advantage of the situation and only using the name and image of IPOB to perpetrate their evil acts.

Umahi also commended the efforts of security agencies, groups such as the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers, and others for their various interventions in ensuring peace reigns in the southeast.

He submitted that they (Governors) believe that a political solution is what should be deployed as things stand currently and they have started engaging the relevant stakeholders.

The statement however appealed to IPOB and all other agitating groups to cancel every form of sit-at-home order as it is counter-productive on the region.

The statement reads: “We are aware of the various illegal orders of sit-at-home by different groups of state agitators for our people of South East to sit at home every Monday and from 5th to 10th November 2021.

“Whereas we have identified some of the spokespersons of some of these groups and we have been engaging them to stop all forms of violence and illegalities in South East and allow South East leaders to address all issues raised by them, we are however working with security agencies, our local security and our leaders to protect the lives of our people and to address all issues raised.”

It added that Ohaneze Ndigbo should be commended “for a good job they did through their various committees in raising various solutions towards addressing all issues raised by our young children.”

“Very soon, we will be meeting with Federal Government of Nigeria on these issues including deploying political solutions in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu which we have already initiated.

“We thank our religious leaders, Conference of Bishops and Archbishops of South East, the traditional institutions of South East and Christian Association of Nigeria of South East for their interventions and mediations on this matter. We will work with them to achieve the desired result for our people and Nigeria,” they added.

On the 2021 Anambra governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 6, the Governors urged security agents to be fair while also calling on the residents of the state to be peaceful and obey all guidelines regarding the conduct of the polls.

“We plead with all security agencies deployed for Anambra election to please secure the lives of our people in Anambra State while playing within the rules of their engagements.

“We are aware that the insecurity in South East has gone beyond IPOB. Cultists, armed robbers and kidnappers have recruited themselves and are using the name of IPOB to be killing innocent citizens. We will not allow this to continue.

“We thank Federal Government of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their determination to hold Anambra election on 6th November, 2021.

“We will give them every support and shall help them to ensure a free, fair and violence free election. We, therefore, ask our people to go out and vote for candidates of their choice as we have been assured of adequate security measures to secure their lives and properties.

“We are confident that through our mediation, that of religious leaders, Ohaneze Ndigbo and traditional rulers, IPOB will see reasons to call off all sit-at-home orders including the recent one of 5th to 10th November, 2021.

“We as South East Governors are committed to political solutions over the present situation in South East and this will be achieved faster if all the illegal sit-at-home orders and violence by the various state agitators are stopped in South East.

“We wish Anambra people a peaceful election on 6th November, 2021,” the Governors added.