Enough is enough, Army draws line for agitators
South-East governors yesterday backed down from an earlier hard stance
on pro-Biafra protests by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the
Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
A meeting on the matter has been scheduled for Sunday.
The pro-Biafra groups have in the last few weeks, been protesting across the South-East and South South states, demanding the release of Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who is scheduled to appear at an Abuja Magistrates’ court today.
Nnamdi is being held in the Department of State Security (DSS) cell in Abuja.
The governors, who met under the aegis of the South-East Governors’ Forum, told newsmen that security and MASSOB/IPOB topped their agenda.
In a communique read by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the governors called for an expanded stakeholders meeting to be attended by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers, development unions, clergies and others from the zone on Sunday, November 22. They also disclosed that they would appoint a high level economic advisory committee to harness the economic potentials of the people of the zone with all of them working in concert.
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi was, however absent at the parley. He did not send any representative, it was gathered.
Meanwhile, leader of the coalition of pro-Biafra organisations in South Africa yesterday warned that agitators were prepared against any aggression from any quarter.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Ikemba Coleman Asomba Emejuru, said the threat by the military to use force against pro-Biafra groups would fail.
“If Nigeria wants to use violence to stop us, we would violently defend ourselves, no matter the violence they may use against the actualisation of Biafra, they will not succeed.
“We will mobilise from South Africa to ground all activities at Nigeria embassies wherever they are in South Africa as warning signal of the nature of things to come,” he stated.
General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division of the Nigeria Army Brig. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru yesterday repeated an earlier warning to pro-Biafra agitators that “enough is enough.”
The GOC told newsmen in Enugu that the warning became pertinent because agitators must be made to know that a particular line must not be crossed. “Arson is unacceptable. When you start killing people, when you start burning government’s property and so on that is completely unacceptable. Individuals are free to express whatever view they want in line with the law.”
“The governor’ are concerned about the poor state of the Federal Government roads in the zone namely Enugu-Onitsha Road, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, Enugu-Port Harcour Road, amongst others which need urgent intervention by the Federal Government,” they said.
The governors who attended the meeting said to have been at the instance of Okorocha included, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).
While Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke represented the governor, the Ebonyi governor, Engr Dave Umahi was absent and did not send any representative.
A meeting on the matter has been scheduled for Sunday.
The pro-Biafra groups have in the last few weeks, been protesting across the South-East and South South states, demanding the release of Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who is scheduled to appear at an Abuja Magistrates’ court today.
Nnamdi is being held in the Department of State Security (DSS) cell in Abuja.
The governors, who met under the aegis of the South-East Governors’ Forum, told newsmen that security and MASSOB/IPOB topped their agenda.
In a communique read by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the governors called for an expanded stakeholders meeting to be attended by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers, development unions, clergies and others from the zone on Sunday, November 22. They also disclosed that they would appoint a high level economic advisory committee to harness the economic potentials of the people of the zone with all of them working in concert.
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi was, however absent at the parley. He did not send any representative, it was gathered.
Meanwhile, leader of the coalition of pro-Biafra organisations in South Africa yesterday warned that agitators were prepared against any aggression from any quarter.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Ikemba Coleman Asomba Emejuru, said the threat by the military to use force against pro-Biafra groups would fail.
“If Nigeria wants to use violence to stop us, we would violently defend ourselves, no matter the violence they may use against the actualisation of Biafra, they will not succeed.
“We will mobilise from South Africa to ground all activities at Nigeria embassies wherever they are in South Africa as warning signal of the nature of things to come,” he stated.
General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division of the Nigeria Army Brig. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru yesterday repeated an earlier warning to pro-Biafra agitators that “enough is enough.”
The GOC told newsmen in Enugu that the warning became pertinent because agitators must be made to know that a particular line must not be crossed. “Arson is unacceptable. When you start killing people, when you start burning government’s property and so on that is completely unacceptable. Individuals are free to express whatever view they want in line with the law.”
“The governor’ are concerned about the poor state of the Federal Government roads in the zone namely Enugu-Onitsha Road, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, Enugu-Port Harcour Road, amongst others which need urgent intervention by the Federal Government,” they said.
The governors who attended the meeting said to have been at the instance of Okorocha included, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).
While Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke represented the governor, the Ebonyi governor, Engr Dave Umahi was absent and did not send any representative.
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