•Region’s leaders reiterate opposition to secession
•Ugwuanyi: Meeting, a positive step towards solving our security challenges
Bennett Oghifo in Lagos and Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Obviously disturbed by the intractable spate of violence in the South-east in recent times, the federal government yesterday sent a delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Retired Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi, to parley with the governors of the five states in the region in order to chart a way forward.
The closed-door meeting at the Government House, Enugu, also had in attendance other leaders of political, religious and traditional institutions in the zone, and after deliberating on the security challenges confronting the region in particular and Nigeria in general, they reiterated their commitment to peace, unity and stability of the country.
The South-east has in the last six months witnessed large-scale arson of public buildings and willful killing of innocent citizens, particularly security operatives, including those of the Nigerian Police whose major facilities were attacked and burnt. Some offices of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) were burnt along with sensitive materials and inmates were freed from some facilities of the Nigeria Correctional Service in the zone.
The Defence Minister, Magashi, disclosed that the delegation would relay the commitment reached at the parley and other outcomes of the consultation to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Defence Minister, who was accompanied by his Interior Ministry counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola and the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, explained that they were in Enugu for a consultative meeting with leaders of the South-east zone on the issues of instability and criminality, at the instance of President Buhari.
He added that the meeting agreed that there were fundamental issues that needed to be addressed in the South-east region.
The leader of the Presidential delegation stated that one of the issues is the farmers/herders conflict which he said “will be given the necessary treatment to stop this menace all over the country, from the perspective of national interest.”
Magashi revealed that the second issue they discussed was the problem of marginalisation, stressing: “it is well accepted and further discussion will continue after we have met with Mr. President to see their grievances, and after, the governors will articulate the grievances, so that we can have further discussion on them.”
The Minister further disclosed that the delegation endorsed the Community Policing Model of the South-east governors, adding: “it should be encouraged because we have set precedence in the Amotekun in the Western part of the country.”
He said: “We appreciate our discussions. We are most humbled and I think each one of us; the governors, the elders, the religious leaders, were able to say one or two things.
“We would put our heads together to see that peace and stability of this nation are brought back to normalcy in no distance time.
“We are appealing to the media to report the positive side of government and encourage us to pursue legitimate ways in which we can bring peace and stability to this country.”
In an address at the meeting, the Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of South-east Governors Forum, David Umahi, on behalf of the leaders of the zone, restated their commitment to national unity, saying that “this sincere commitment is a new dawn not only to South East but to entire Nigeria.”
Commenting on the ban on open grazing, Umahi said: “Just on a very minor specifics for the emphasis of our people, we discussed the issue of ban on open grazing and, of course, this delegation is in support of this ban on open grazing and we also informed the delegation that each of the South-east states has laws in this respect.”
The South-east Governors Forum Chairman noted that the commitment of the federal government towards addressing all the issues pertaining to herdsmen in the South East was very important.
He stated that the governors had agreed to articulate all the grievances and concerns of the people of the South East “as spelt out by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo,” saying: “We are happy that there is genuine willingness for further dialogue on such issues.”
Umahi maintained that Ebubeagu was the only recognised local security outfit in the South-east, emphasizing: “No other security outfit is speaking for South-east and this is the position of Ndigbo.”
According to him, “We are committed to one united Nigeria; we have always mentioned this; all our leaders are committed to this and that is why we read it everywhere, a united Nigeria of fairness, equity and equality of freedom and this we have further expressed.
“Those who dish out hate speeches from our region, threat of violence or secession do not speak for South East. I repeat, we the South-east people are not for secession, we don’t support it; we don’t call for it.
“We condemn the killings of security men and innocent people in the South-east and the governors are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our people. We are supporting the security agencies. We finally appeal to our people to continue to engage our youths to eschew violence.”
Earlier in his opening remark, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State described the Town Hall meeting as timely and apt, expressing optimism that the outcome of the meeting would address the security challenges in the South-east zone.
Ugwuanyi, who stressed the need for all government structures to uphold the security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, said that the consultation with the federal government delegation and critical stakeholders of the South-east zone, on the current security challenges, “underscores the centrality of this security responsibility in our consideration.”
The Enugu State Governor thanked President Buhari for sending the Federal Government delegation to consult with the leaders of the zone.
Other South East leaders at the meeting were the Governors of Abia and Imo states, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and Hope Uzodinma, respectively; Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb. Prof. George Obiozor, former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, Senator Ike Ekweramadu, Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu, Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi, former Governor of old Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, Chief Nnia Nwodo, among others.
