Igboezue International Association of Nigeria and the Diaspora, IIAND, on Thursday told the South East Governors to make the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, top on their agenda for the Friday South East Security and Economic Summit if they want to achieved peace and meaningful security in the zone.
National President of IIAND, Chief Pius Okoye who spoke on behalf of the group also told them to ensure that the Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, led Ohanaeze Ndigbo, not only participates in the summit but accepts and implements their views for peace to reign in South East.
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Addressing newsmen in Onitsha, Chief Okoye, expressed sadness over the insecurity crisis in South East Geopolitical Zone, urging some South East Governor whose actions, utterances and provocative attitudes of playing politics in Abuja with the faith of the people of their state and South East in general thereby fueling the crisis, to retrace their steps by discouraging their Abuja politics mentality.
IIAND also urged the participants in the summit to look into the alleged molestation of the people of South East at the Military and Police Check points across South East states, saying that the behaviour of the security men to motorist and commuter on South East road is not what obtains in other zones of the federation.
According to IIAND, “For South East Governors and other participants particularly Ohaneze Nsigbo, to achieve meaningful peace, security, political, social and economic development in the South East Security and Economic Summit, coming up on Friday in Oweri, the Imo State capital, they must make the release of long incarcerate IPoB’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, top on their agenda. Anything short of that will not ensure peace and security in South East.
“It is good that the summit is going to hold in Imo State, which seem to be the worst hit by the insecurity, this is also going to be an opportunity to call some South East Governor to order, they should look themselves on their faces and tell themselves the truth because some are not behaving well, some feel that constant visit to Abuja and making provocative utterances against the people of their states and the youths, is what makes them loyal to the powers that be in Abuja. The Governors who engages in the act knows themselves and they should change.
“The summit should ensure that the Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu led Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not only carried along in the meeting, but should ensure that their views and suggestions are carried and implemented to the letters. Ohanaeze Ndigbo has done well under Chief Iwuanyanwu, the Igbo dignity and lost pride is gradually being returned because of some steps they have taken just like we are doing in IIAND.
“We will also like the summit to look into several complaints we have received concerning the molestation of Igbo sons and daughters at the military and Police check points across South East state. That must stop. The idea of making commuters alight from the vehicles they are traveling in, to cross Police, Army, Navy checkpoints is dehumanizing, unacceptable and must stop.
“We have also received the reports that many South East sons and daughter have been killed just because they were labelled IPOB Commanders and members, this must stop, and the people responsible for this criminal act of labelling opponents IPOB members and commanders just to kill them must refrain from this callous and criminal behaviour.
“We gathered that the act of accusation or labelling opponents in dispute IPoB Commander and member through writing petitions or oral complaints to Police, Army and Department of States Services, DSS, officials is the easiest way to elimination opponents in disputes in South East, the summit must take seriously this allegation and ensure that such families that have been victims of this malicious allegations gets justice for their now dead loved ones.
“While not blaming the security agents for such false allegations given to them, we advise that when such allegations are made through oral or written complaints or petitions, professionalism demands that they are investigated and if such people are found to have broken the law of the land, they should be taken to court instead of killing or torturing them to death. Such complaints have been brought to our table by relations of the victims, the summit must look into it, is very serious matter now.”
