Uchechukwu Okoroafor, Abuja
Insecurity and sit-at-home protests in the South-East have led to massive economic losses estimated at almost N4 trillion in two years.
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A 2021 study conducted by SBM Intelligence for DevEast Foundation Ltd., a not-for-profit policy and business advocacy organisation, shows that the losses can be traced to specific factors including loss of between four and five working days per week; job losses due to cutbacks by business owners in response to the reduced working hours and other lost opportunities; loss of clients and customers who find alternatives because of the unstable business environment in the South-East; and increased cost of service delivery because of extra logistical costs.
The South East, which used to be one of Nigeria’s relatively peaceful zones, has witnessed rising violence in recent years.
In June 2021, The Igbo Elders Council alleged that more than 5000 Igbo youths have been killed and over 10,000 others, thrown into detention camps in a special security operation in the region. The IEC which comprised of eminent leaders from the South East region, raised the alarm in a communique issued in Abuja.
Among those at the meeting who signed the communique were a former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former Minister of Education, Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike; Prof. C.E. Nwekeaku; Onwu Arua Onwu and HRM, Eze Ibe Nwosu.
The controversial security operation which involves troops of the Nigeria Armed Force and the Nigeria Police Force, was launched in a bid to fish out criminal elements behind killing of security operatives and burning down of public infrastructure in the region.
When the operation commenced, the then Inspector General of Police had accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network of complicity in the serial killings and arson, an allegation the groups denied.
The communique reads, “The list is endless; so far, over 5000 Igbo youths have been killed in the South East, while more than 10,000 others are languishing in horrible detention camps in different parts of the country under questionable circumstances.
“Yet, none of these victims was a member of IPOB and ESN…. Both IPOB and ESN have severally distanced themselves from the current terror and tension in the South East, yet countless innocent citizens are killed in the name of fishing out presumed members of IPOB, ESN and unknown gunmen.”
The elders lamented that, security agencies in the South East routinely stop motorists at illegal checkpoints, search them in most dehumanizing manner under the guise of fishing out presumed members of IPOB and ESN.
According to them, those arrested by security operatives were mainly young males who were not charged to court to defend themselves but were marched away to unknown destinations, most of whom never return alive.
The communique read, “They arrest, maim, and, sometimes shoot innocent and hapless youths, and cart away their corpses to unknown destinations, thus denying them the opportunity of burial. The Igbo tradition values burial rites for the repose of the soul of the dead, yet our young victims of the military onslaught are denied that opportunity.
“We condemn without any reservation the destruction of public property in the South-East because it is not in our character to indulge in arson and brigandage.
“We believe, however, that it is not fair and just to use a sledge hammer to kill harmless flies as many victims of this joint security agencies onslaught are hapless and innocent Igbo youths and other citizens, who have become victims of circumstances.
“The current military onslaught against the Igbos will not bring the much-needed peace and stability in the South East in particular and Nigeria in general.”
The group had called on former President Muhammad Buhari, the United Nations, the European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, United States of America, United Kingdom, Russia, China and the entire international community to take urgent and necessary actions to stop the current genocide against the Igbos in the South East and parts of the South-South in the interest of peace, stability and unity of Nigeria.
The group observed that the conduct of the security agencies in the South East and some parts of South-South was in contravention of any known rules of military or security engagement and therefore urged the relevant authorities to call the troops to order. This was in 2021. Two years later the insecurity has worsened in the region. The inheritor of this destabilizing insecurity is now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, until the court says otherwise.
The situation is not helped by the poor handling of Simon Ekpa by South East leaders and most importantly the federal government.
Recently, Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, announced that there will be a two-week sit-at-home in the region from July 31. In a tweet on Tuesday, July 11, Ekpa also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu who was arrested and detained for charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society and publication of defamatory matter, amongst others.
“Following the demand by the Biafra people for more sit-at-home civil disobedience, the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) and Biafra De Facto Government In Homeland wish to notify Biafrans that there will be a sit-at-home civil disobedience starting from 31 July, 2023 to 14 August, 2023,” Ekpa said.
Ekpa warned that failure to comply with the order will attract ‘heavy consequences.
He added: “From Monday, 7th August to Friday, 11 August, there will be total lockdown in Biafraland while on Saturday, 12 August and Sunday, 13 August 2023, there will be a break as all Biafran markets will open.
“On Monday, 14 August, there will be lockdown in Biafraland. We hereby call on all market leaders to strictly adhere to this order and treat it with utmost seriousness.
“We also call on all oil companies operating in the Biafran territory to shutdown oil exploration on these dates to avoid the anger of the Biafran people, which may come with heavy consequences.”
Several lives were lost, and properties destroyed, in parts of the South-East during the just concluded one week sit at home ordered by Ekpa’s faction of IPOB from July 3 to July 10.
The spokesman of IPOB Emma Powerful had distanced the group from the sit-at-home ordered by Ekpa, but hoodlums who enforced the directive attacked persons who ventured out for work and business during the period. How could non-state actors overwhelm the coercise power of the state to the level that people of South East’s lives are now run from Finland- of all places- and the leaders of South East and Federal Government seem to be at lost on how to find final solution to the menace? This editorial is intended to show the final solution to the insecurity menace in the region.
Only recently, the South East governors, lawmakers and leaders of the Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, resolved to meet President Bola Tinubu over the rising insecurity in the region. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting held at the Imo State Governor’s lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.
Addressing journalists after the six hours of deliberation, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, lamented that insecurity remained the greatest challenge facing the South East.
He said; “We have identified insecurity as the problem of the South East for now and it is at the front burner and must be addressed.
“The Federal Government in the past supported us but we think that it can do more. So among other resolutions, we resolved today to make a representation to the President for his intervention to be able to bring insecurity in the region to an end.
“So any moment from now, we’ll be putting together an arrangement to visit the President and discuss with him. There are certain things we cannot do very well without the Federal Government. Security is in the Exclusive List and only the Federal Government can deploy as appropriate.”
Also speaking, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the five South-East governors and lawmakers from the zone are bent on finding a solution to the security situation as quickly as possible.
Are the South East really helpless and the federal government incapable to reigning in Simon Ikpa who sits in the comfort of his home in Finland and instruct people to kill fellow Igbos going about their normal business in this harsh economic situation under the guise of enforcement of sit at home? Nigerian government has acted irresponsibly since the Buhari regime on the Simon Ikpa question. It is therefore time to take decisive action against Ikpa. To show that the federal government of Nigeria is truly desirous of lasting peace in South East, President Bola Tinubu must without further delay send the Ambassador of Finland in Nigeria, Lean Pylvänäinen back to her country, until Ekpa is held accountable for the killings that he instigates from that country. Perhaps that is the only language the Government of Finland would understand. Nigeria should also cut economic ties with Finland unless Ekpa is arrested and prosecuted for his actions.
The next thing would be the release of the banned IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who had already been set free by the court. Nigeria is a nation of laws and rule of law should be enforced with respect to freeing Kanu. There is no doubt that killings in South East escalated following his illegal rendition from Kenya to Nigeria. Here rests the final solution to peace in South East.