Something has to be done about rising insecurity in the South-East. No one is safe anymore. Businesses are relocating, and Ndigbo are now afraid to visit home.
The South-East economy is suffering because businesses such as hotels, event planners, food vendors, musicians, decorators etc, who survive mainly on the patronage of those coming back home during weekends for burials and other traditional ceremonies have seen the patronage reduce heavily.
The South-East of Nigeria is gradually becoming the killing field of the nation. On a daily basis, news reports of killing of innocent citizens, kidnappings and burning of public infrastructure such as police stations, local government offices, markets, destruction of vehicles etc flood the media.
Gory pictures and videos of violence meted out to hapless citizens by a group known as Unknown Gun Men continue to trend on various social media platforms.
Over the weekend, the House of Assembly member representing Aguata 11 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Okechukwu Okoye, who was kidnapped a week ago was murdered. His severed head was deposited at a park in the state.
Like in Anambra state, so in Imo state and other South-East states.
It is now obvious that what started as genuine agitation for self determination by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by the detained Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been hijacked by vicious and violent criminals, who are now using IPOB to commit all manner of atrocities in the South -East.
Before the South-East becomes a wasteland, before people of the South-East leave their homeland for other more peaceful locations, as is already happening, it is time for the five South-East state governors to meet and talk, because what affects one state affects the others.
If they don’t urgently act as the Chief Security Officers of their various states, they will be giving the Federal government no other option but to declare a state of emergency in the region. Such an action will have far-reaching implications for all.
It will mean that the South-East will become an occupied territory, and under such conditions, rights and freedom are heavily trampled upon.
The time to act is now! Enough of the killings and destructions.
Share, follow and like our page at www.facebook.com/UmunnaTV or visit www.umunna.tv. #umunnatv