IPOBs ESN vs Army - Igbo Group Calls for Peace

  

The Igboezue International Association, Nigeria and the Diaspora, IIAND, has called on the Federal Government and South-East Governors to handle the issue of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, formed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, peacefully and with caution.

It also said that it has observed with dismay that any crisis in Igbo land has been reduced to an opportunity to kill Igbo youths and elders, destroy and burn houses their houses and shops, warning the security agencies involved and their heads to desist from such callous and reprehensible behaviours against Igbo people.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Onitsha, the President General of IIAND, Chief Pius Okoye, said that it is due to the constant behaviour of shooting, killing, destroying and burning of Igbo people's property that they have always rejected the Army yearly exercise of Operation Python Dance, which is supposed to be an exercise that should give the people security.

also called on South-East Governors to step up action in winning the trust and confidence of Ndigbo, particularly the youths, who seem to have lost confidence in them due to some policy mistakes they made that did not go down well with them.

"The South East Governor should blame themselves for IPOB's establishment of ESN because the people of South East waited in vain for them to come up with a security outfit for the zone like done by their colleagues in other zones, but they were busy playing politics until IPOB came up with one.

"The Federal and South East governments should be cautious in handling issued concerning IPOB's establishment of ESN because any action that will lead the group into carrying arms will spell doom for Nigeria

"We have noticed with dismay that any crisis in Igbo land particularly the ones involving IPOB, has been used as an opportunity by the Police and Army to open fire on Igbo people, particularly the youths, destroying their houses and shops, that is no more acceptable to us.

"We are therefore warning against the further killing of South-East youths under any guise, criminals and lawless people should be arrested and prosecuted and not be killed extra judicially, enough is enough on the killing of South-East youths.

"We wonder how Police, Army and ESN clash in Orlu became an opportunity to kill people on the streets, burning house and shops and arresting and detaining worshippers in the churches in Orlu.

"It is this same attitude that Ndigbo has always rejected the Operation Python Dance Army exercise, which is supposed to be an exercise that provides security for the people.

South-East Governor should blame themselves for their delay in forming a South-East security outfit like their counterparts in the South West and the North, to protect Ndigbo from a violent attack of killer herdsmen.

"South-East Governors should drop their Presidential and Vice Presidential interest to work for their people, secure them and get back their confidence and wait for elections to come instead of playing politics with issues that concern their lives."