Southeast Governors and Igbo people Must Urgently Take Back The Streets From Hoodlums Terrorizing People in Igboland.
We the Igbo Ekunie Initiative, IEI, comprising individuals in Nigeria and the Diaspora; have keenly observed the sit at home in the Southeast and the ensuing violence, destruction of property and violent disruption of ongoing WAEC exams in some centres across the region by hoodlums.
Having carefully evaluated the situation, we submit as follows:
That IPOB and other aggrieved groups are within their legitimate rights to protest the illegal abduction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the unrelenting criminal marginalization of the Southeast and the enabling of terrorist herdsmen and bandits that have killed thousands across the country by Buhari’s Apartheid regime.
Yet in registering those protests, special care must be taken not to hurt the suffering masses on whose behalf the struggle is being waged. While no one has a problem with sit at home to protest the injustices of Buhari’s divisive and inept administration that has brought Nigeria to the brink. Such protests must be once in a long while, proportionate and devoid of violence. Essential services like hospitals, schools must be allowed to function at a minimum. These are the acceptable standards in every protest that seek to register its grievance while at the same time protecting the interests of the masses to avoid unduly hurting impoverished citizens who survive on day to day hustle to feed.
We submit therefore that the burning of property, killing of some persons and abominable attack on schools that effectively prevented students from taking WAEC exams by sit home enforcers are criminal acts that defeat the purpose of the protests.
We note that IPOB leadership has strongly condemned the violence associated with the sit at home and restated that the Monday sit at home has since been cancelled. They have also set up a task force to reign in the hoodlums who perpetrate such violence.
We submit that IPOB’s clarification is helpful, but having originated this situation, they need to give more publicity to their declaration and take more steps to ensure the cancelled sit at home take effect and that hoodlums who go about terrorizing people are reigned in.
We note that IPOB’s clarification again establishes that the ongoing sit at home and its enforcement is being done by opportunist hoodlums. This would not have been possible if the Southeast governors provided security.
We therefore urge the Southeast governors to isolate and take back the streets from opportunist hoodlums who have high jacked legitimate protests with their own evil agenda.
We request that security be mobilized and beefed up in the streets, highways and strategic locations to forestall hoodlums and allow people go about their legitimate businesses. Additionally the governors must establish an effective deterrent by launching a manhunt for hoodlums who perpetrated specific criminal acts such as murder, arson as seen in the viral videos with significant monetary rewards for anyone who volunteers information leading to the arrest of the hoodlums.
It’s only in ensuring adequate security presence and in going after the hoodlums who hitherto have acted with so much impunity that the governors can fully take back the streets and restore order.
In light of all of the above, we again urge the governors to carry out their constitutional responsibility and in the same vein we urge all residents of the Southeast to come out in their numbers and go about their legitimate businesses every Monday. IPOB has cancelled the sit at home and the region should not surrender to opportunist hoodlums. When they come out in significant numbers, the few hoodlums who carry out such attacks will be naturally disempowered.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Signed
Chief Chigbo Uzokwelu
President
Igbo Ekunie Initiatives
Engr John Asiegbu
Secretary Igbo Ekunie Initiatives
