By Abah Nnanna, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state, and the chairman Southeast Governors Forum, Thursday condemned the spate of killings an other crimes that engulfed the southeast zone in recent times.
Umahi lamented that the killings, looting and harassments were being orchestrated by people from the zone known as the unknown gunmen, and called for an end to it, even as he appealed to the youths to lay down their arms.
The governor stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital, while addressing newsmen on October 1 sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
He stated that the sit at home order is a deceit as those championing it are not observing such outside the country were they live.
He noted that the sit at home order is telling hard on the economy of the zone.
Umahi noted that the killing of Dr. Chike Akunyili by yet to be identified gunmen has caused serious fear in the zone, adding that not fewer than 12 prominent people from the zone have been killed within the past two weeks.
“We condemn in totality the insecurity in south east orchestrated by our own people that is tagged unknown gunmen and I appeal on behalf of the governors that this should come to a stop. We are very mobile people, restricting our people is to destroy us and I am sure that every man and woman in south east knows that.
“We strongly condemn the ugly killing of Dr. Chike, a notable medical Doctor and we don’t know the reason for that killing and other killings not less than 12 within the past weeks. It so terrible and so bad, fear has been inflicted into our people and this is very un-cultural. We appeal to this youths to lay down their arms. I don’t know why there should be insecurity, I don’t know why there should be killings, I don’t know why they should inflict fears in the minds of our people.
” This is very uncalled for and I am warning that the south east people, their youths may one day rise up against these very few people doing this thing. It is a total war against our people and we are calling that it should stop.
“Ebonyi people have been so much deprived in the past, turned to house boys and house girls because of this sit-at-home and we are in a hurry to catch up with others. So, we are not going to be sitting down at home. And so, anybody that says sit-at-home, Ebonyi people will not sit-at-home.
“I am calling on the entire south east to understand this sit-at-home and those who are orchestrating this sit-at-home are our brothers outside this country who are paid per hour and so, it’s very comfortable for them to be at work and ask us to sit-at-home.
“They are working to be paid to have means of livelihood the same way we are working to be paid to have means of livelihood. If they truly mean it and they want to ask us to sit-at-home, all the south east people that are outside this country should be sincere. Any day they want us to sit-at-home, let them also sit-at-home and see whether they will not be repatriated because they will have nothing to pay for their livelihood. So, it is all about deceit.
“Those who are being killed here in confrontation with security agencies, they are our children, they are our sons and daughters belonging to some of us who are at home. So, I want us to disregard this sit-at-home. Nobody is against peaceful agitations including agitations at home. We have agitations everyday; husbands versus wives, children versus father, even house girls versus the mother of the house.
” So, there is always agitations. So, agitation is natural, its fundamental but there is nobody who carries gun and wants to kill another person in the name of anything is justifiable.
” My own opinion about the sit-at-home is that all Flags must be flying very high tomorrow, in fact, it should fly higher tomorrow and we believe in one, equitable fair Nigeria and we will fair better in united Nigeria where there is justice, equity and love.” he stated