From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
An Igbo group, known as Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) has cautioned Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma and his Anambra State counterpart, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to desist from making unguided utterances capable of escalating the already volatile situation in their states.
The group condemned what it described as “despicable killings of unarmed two Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the injuring and burning of government property by Unknown Gunmen.
A statement by the president of the NUF Dede Uzor warned the Governors to refrain from heating up the already tensed up security situations in the two States with their ” reckless and unguarded statements which led to the renewed killings of some security operatives and burning down government facilities recently”.
The group said the escalation of violence could be traced to the unguarded statement about the Monday’s Sit- at- home which they said has been abolished and asked Federal Government to deploy more security men in their States to deal with unknown gunmen.
“NUF has condemned the atrocious and despicable killings in the South East and advised our leaders to stop making an unguarded remarks that provoke these boys to anger as this would risk the lives of security operatives and jeopardise and fragile security in the South East”.
Uzor said that instead Igbo leaders should meet with the leaders at Aso Rock to seek a political solution on how to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other political detainees who have been languishing in respective government security facilities across the country.
The Federal Government, said the group, should provide compensation to Igbo youths killed and victims including security operatives killed during the ongoing the incidents.
The group commended Prof Soludo for setting up peace committee, urging the committee to look into the circumstances and remote cause or causes of the ongoing security challenges with a view to addressing it as soon as possible.
Uzor however urged Uzodimma and Soludo to adopt diplomatic strategy of an elder Statesman, Chief Mbazuruike Amechi and other Igbo leaders who had intervened with the president Muhammadu Buhari to seek for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally.
The group called on all our leaders to immediately convoke an All Inclusive South East Security Summit (ASESM) within 14 days which would involve all the stakeholders, including non -state actors to thoroughly address the ongoing security challenges in the zone as well as restore peace in Ala Igbo.
“Our youths which constitute the greater part of our population have no job, efforts should be made on how to engage about 5 million youth ( one million in each of 5 South East States) with a startup salary of N50.000 each person per month. These youths have no source of income, making them vulnerable and prone to be used by dubious political godfathers”.
NUF further advised Governors of South East zone to channel their bogus and exploitative monthly security votes amounting to billions of naira in engaging the youth in their respective states.