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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has pleaded with all aggrieved persons responsible for the Monday sit-at-home in the South East region to sheath their swords and embrace peace.
The coalition united in ending instability in the country especially in the South-East region noted that no amount of civil disobedience can bring about stability to the region.
Addressing a joint press conference in Abuja on behalf of the groups, President of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Amb. Solomon Adodo, expressed concern over the escalating tensions and disturbing developments in the region, itemising the dire consequences of these actions, which include economic stagnation, increased violence, loss of life, and irreversible damage.
The coalition, representing over 100 million Nigerian youth and middle-aged citizens, expressed deep dismay at the situation in the South-East.
The group compared what is happening in the South East to the terrorism activities in the North East, urging swift action to address the escalating turmoil in the South East which has been grappling with criminal activities carried out by non-state actors and those claiming to represent various causes.
According to the statement; “It has become highly imperative that these dastardly developments that are retrogressive be condemned and all appropriate measures placed to halt and reverse same.
“We must alert the public, the security agencies and indeed the International community that all the signs and trappings of sundry menace of terrorism in the North East have sadly become evident in the tragic developments in the South East. This must therefore be arrested immediately and firmly so,” the statement read.
Of significant concern, according to the group, has been the enforcement of the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its affiliates, causing severe economic disruption and social unrest in the South-East.
This policy, the coalition observed, has not only stifled businesses but also kept potential investors and tourists away, leading to dire economic consequences. Lamenting the worthlessness of the sit-at-home, the Coalition called “for an end to such counterproductive policies and the rejection of any non-state actor-driven programs or pronouncements.”
Welcoming the cancellation of the sit-at-home policy, the coalition noted that; “it has come to our notice that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has also announced the cancellation of the forced sit-at-home in the South East on Mondays or any other days. While we welcome that, we equally reject his declaration of Economic Empowerment Day.
“This is another veiled threat to the Nigerian state and particularly a sniffling of the freedom of the people of the Southeast. The Economic Empowerment Day and its accompanying activities also has the potential to snowball into another security crises in the geopolitical zone.
“After all, sit-at-home began as a voluntary activity till it became a compulsory one, foisted on a hapless people and executed by daredevil terrorists. This veiled aggression must therefore be nipped in the bud even before its seeds of discord are planted,” the statement added.
Commenting on the issue of Eastern Security Network (ESN) and other militant factions within IPOB, the coalition declared them criminals and called for their unmasking and apprehension as well as the need to focus on internal factors contributing to the security crisis in the South-East region, cautioning against any externalization of blame.
“The degenerated security situation in the South East is appalling and this is no longer a time to live in any denial. All stakeholders must note that the ESN and every other militant arm of IPOB; known and unknown gunmen are criminals and must be treated as such.
“In the past, some persons in the zone chose self deceit by alleging that it was the former President – Muhammadu Buhari – who was using the Fulanis to kill and destabilize the Southeast but months after his departure, the situation has not changed.
“Furthermore, the battle between Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa is clearly unravelling as an ego war at the detriment of the region. Those funding IPOB from abroad should be made aware of the fact that they are tactically funding terrorism and further bringing down the economy of the region. We must warn again, this is how Boko Haram began and all true lovers of the South-East should rise to halt the dangerous slide,” the statement warned.
