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General News of Thursday, 10 June 2021

Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

Stop militarisation of South East - Group tells FG

The photo used to illustrate the story The photo used to illustrate the story

Igbo youth leaders have called on the Federal Government not to use force or military action in South East, saying it could inevitably lead to more provocation, anarchy and disintegration.

This is just as the leaders also commended South East Governors and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo for the declaration and support, respectively, of May 30 as public holiday. 

In a statement by Chukwma Okpalaezeukwu, the youths said it would go a long way in consoling and healing the pains of many Biafrans and should serve as a day for reflection and meditation of the effects and impacts of the war. They, therefore, urged the Federal Government to embrace the initiative as a national day of healing.

In another development, the youths said they aligned with the positions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo under the leadership of George Obiozor, that Ndigbo would not break up from Nigeria, but would not be victims of its unity, “indeed, the unity of Nigeria is paramount but not at all cost. We are committed to peace, justice, equity and fairness.”

Throughout history, according to the youths, people denied justice have no interest in peace, saying it is either restructuring or referendum.

“On this note, we hereby pass a vote of confidence and reaffirm our solidarity and support to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide, and urge the Federal Government not to consider the use of force or military action, as at the moment applied in South East, which can inevitably lead to more provocation, anarchy and disintegration.

“We admonish that psychological operation would be more efficient as a sure alternative, considering the reality of Nigerian irresistible pluralism.

“Our attention has been drawn to statements of the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) in a letter addressed to the Emir of Kano, which clearly played an unfounded blame game of hatred without addressing the issues. For the records, most of the security officers affected by the crisis in South East are Igbo. A notable example is the late Ifeanyi Amah from Ebonyi State. He got enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force in 2018. He was shot and killed alongside seven other police officers, mostly Christians, at Abriba in Abia State.

“There have been carnage and mass killings, kidnapping and raping of innocent people in southern Nigeria, especially in South East, by killer herdsmen who are from northern Nigeria. But because Ndigbo are committed to peace and justice, we do not rush into conclusion or inciting statements like the so-called Coalition of Northern Groups; neither are we cowards.”