From Stanley Uzoaru,Owerri
The Igbo National Council (INC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma to immediately visit the site of the illegal oil refinery at Abaezi, Ohaji/Egbema where over 100 persons loss their lives in an explosion.
A statement by the President-General of the group, Chilos Godsent frowned at the delay by both to visit the site for an on-the-spot assessment. He equally urged the President to declare a state of emergency on unemployment which he felt led to the illegal activities in the forest.
He said “The INC is very shocked that seventy hours after the ugly incident, the Executive Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma and President Muhammadu Buhari has not physically visited the deadly site to condole with the Abaezi people, Ohaji Egbema People, Imo people, the Igbo Nation and Nigeria for this irreplaceable generational lost.
“Consequent upon the above, the Igbo National Council INC therefore call on the Imo State Governor and President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately visit the site and also declare a State of Emergency on Youth Employment in South East and South South Geopolitical Regions in other to forestall the reoccurrence of this satanic incident.
“INC therefore demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the owners of the site inclusive of all the security agents that were protecting and aiding the operation of such illegal refinery site.” Godsent stated.
Godsent has also called for a census by both the federal and Imo State government to enable it to know the proper number of victims at the explosion site while it advised the youths of the area to desist from illegal oil mining.