The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday lamented the increasing spate of attacks on South-east residents and urged the federal government to devise fresh strategies to arrest the worsening insecurity in the country.
The organisation said the situation, if not quickly checked, could threaten the nation’s unity, peace and security.
President-General of the organisation, Ambassador George Obiozor, at a news conference in Enugu, following recent attacks on Ebonyi and other states, said the dream of Nigerian unity was fast fading with violence, crisis and conflicts.
He stated that Nigerians have no place to hide following the rise in activities of ethnic militias, agitation for secession, self-determination, insurgency and banditry.
He said: “The government must not get to the point where the citizens will feel uncomfortable about its decisions on matters of national interest and destiny.
“The federal government must reconsider the use of force in resolving the present national crisis as history has shown that military and violence means to solve national questions is bound to fail.”
Obiozor warned those encroaching on land in the regions to thread with caution as land is a sensitive issue in Igboland.
“There is no man’s land in Igbo land. Those encroaching are provoking our people and our deities,” he added.
Reacting to comments on why governors of the region established a joint security outfit instead of supporting the Eastern Security Network (ESN), set up by the proscribed secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Obiozor said governors had the mandate to secure the South-east, stressing that their decision should be respected.
He, however, said if the ESN had plans to protect lives in the region, it must cooperate with Ebube Agu, the codename for the regional security outfit, and not cross boundaries.
“We have common goals and different methods. The governors had thought well before coming up with the security outfit and as such, they should be backed up,” he said.
He also praised the decision by the governors to form a joint security outfit after a meeting between them and stakeholders in the region.
He said the formation of the joint outfit would help to deal with the recent attacks on residents of the region.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo assures the governors of Ndigbo anywhere and everywhere of their support towards the security of Alaigbo,” he said