Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has urged the Hausa/Fulani community in the state to be calm, noting that the disturbances in Aba on Tuesday involving soldiers and some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had been kept under control.
This is coming on the heels of condemnation of the military’s invasion of the South East, the destruction of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat as well as the high military presence at the residence of the leader of the IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the convener of ‘OurMumuDonDo,’ Charles Oputa, (aka Charly Boy) and the leader of “Resume or Resign” campaign, Deji Adeyanju.
The duo described the action as the militarisation of the South-East region. Governor Ikpeazu, represented by his deputy, Mr. Ude Okechukwu, made the appeal for calm at the Aba Mosque, where some members of the Muslim community gathered to meet him.
He expressed regret over the disturbances in Aba on Tuesday involving soldiers and some members of IPOB and stressed that efforts had been made to prevent a recurrence.
The governor noted that security agencies in Abia had been at work to ensure the restoration of peace in Abia, adding that he had moved around Aba to confirm normalcy in the city.
He attributed the incident to the influx of some non-resident miscreants who came into Aba to cause problems for the residents. Ikpeazu thanked security agencies for their effort in returning the intruders to where they had come from and reassured the people of their safety wherever they lived.
Recall that the governor declared a three-day curfew in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia that took effect from Tuesday, due to the clashes between soldiers and some IPOB members.
Military personnel under the ‘Operation Python Dance II’ scheduled to take effect from Friday in the South-East states, have also been deployed to the city.
Meanwhile, Charly Boy and Adeyanju described the action of the Nigerian Army as tmilitarisation of the South-East region in the guise of curbing inordinate agitations and divisive tendencies by pro-Biafra groups.
Sequel to the invasion, a lot of controversies have trailed the announcement by the military hierarchy of a re-launch of the phase two of ‘Operation Python Dance II’ for another 30-days in the South East geo political zone, to commence as from September 15.
In a statement co-signed by Charly Boy and Adeyanju, they alleged that the Federal Government was steaming up the flames of enmity and discord within the country by using force on harmless citizens.
The statement also condemned the invasion of Abia State council of the NUJ in Umuahia, which led to the destruction of laptops and other valuables.
“Our attention has been drawn to the recent detachment of soldiers from the Nigerian Army to the Afaraukwu country home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and the invasion of Abia State council of the NUJ on Aba Road, Umuahia, which led to the destruction of laptops and other valuables thereby causing unnecessary panic within the state and the entire region.
“We consider this move an aberration that must be strongly condemned in a democratic environment like ours.
“The good people of Abia State deserve better than the undue panic under which they have been placed since the invasion which has completely restricted them from going about their daily activities freely like they used to.
“In as much as we are aware that the Federal Government is concerned about curbing divisive messages and inordinate agitations within the country, we believe it should be more concerned about safeguarding the lives and properties of all Nigerians in any part of the country.
“It is also important to note that though recanted, the October 1 ultimatum issued by some misguided northern youths to the Igbos in the north remains weighty in the minds of many and the atmosphere is hypersensitive to any mishap that could foment such interethnic melee.
“We urge the Federal Government; therefore, that, rather than steaming up the flames of enmity and discord within the country by using force on harmless citizens, it should be more committed to dousing tensions and promoting peace and unity.
“Finally, we appeal to the Federal Government to be more circumspect and solution-focused in handling sensitive matters as secessionist agitations within the country,” the statement concluded.
They urged the federal government to be more circumspect and solution-focused in handling sensitive matters as secessionist agitations within the country.
