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A pan-Igbo think-tank, Nzuko Umunna, has accused the Federal Government of plot to intimidate and silence South East Governors and key Igbo leaders in the coming weeks.

Nzuko Umunna said the recent invasion of the Abuja residence of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF) was part of the orchestrated plot to bend Umahi and his colleagues and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the South East people.

Unidentified men had on Monday, September 2, broke into Umahi’s Abuja residence at about 6.30am to allegedly plant arms to implicate the governor.

The Forum headed by Umahi, recently announced a ban on herders moving around the five South East states with AK 47 rifles and machetes and insisted that security agencies should enforce the order.

In a statement signed by its Co-ordinator, Joe Odumuko and General Secretary, Obinna Mbanefo, the group described the attack as cowardly, coming barely 24 hours after the South East Governors Forum banned herders who move around with AK-47 and machetes, and directed security agencies to enforce the order.

   Reacting, Ebonyi State Commissioner for Internal Security, Stanley Okoro, described the invasion as barbaric and undemocratic.

He urged appropriate authorities and key stakeholders to bring the perpetrators to book.

Speaking with stakeholders of Edda community, Okoro applauded the level of maturity and patriotism demonstrated by the governor, despite provocation, saying no amount of blackmail, intimidation and harassment, will derail the Umahi-led administration from achieving its agenda for Ebonyi.

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Nzuko Umunna said: “We note that the invaders were clearly identified as security operatives who subjected occupants of the premises and police officers on duty to intolerable harassment and intimidation before thoroughly ransacking the premises.

“It is noteworthy that this reckless and illegal act was carried out without a search warrant, again portraying Nigeria as a country that has little or no respect for the rule of law.

“The inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the modus operandi of the operatives is that they had a singular mission to plant incriminating evidence in the property towards framing trumped-up charges against Governor Umahi.

“The sole purpose of this dastardly and hideous plot is to intimidate, overawe and silence Governor Umahi and his colleagues at the South East Governors Forum and prevent them from discharging their mandate of speaking boldly on behalf of the South East people.

“We are informed that there are plans to escalate these attacks in the coming days and weeks to other South East Governors and key leaders from the South East zone.

“We urge the perpetrators of these heinous plots to desist forthwith to avoid throwing the country into a needless and overwhelming crisis.

“We ask President Muhammadu Buhari to order a full scale enquiry into this curious invasion by security operatives with a view to ensuring that the perpetrators are speedily brought to justice.

“We note that no amount of arm-twisting, trumped up charges or intimidation will make the South East zone shirk its resolve to ensure safety of lives and property in the zone, and urge the South East Governors Forum to remain resolute and unfazed.