Igbo traditional rulers have offered President Muhammadu Buhari the antidote for the venomous security plague ravaging the eastern axis of the vast country just as Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has joined others in urging the Buhari administration to declare bandits in the North-West geo-political zone as “insurgents” or “terrorists”.
Worried by the worsening security situation in Eastern Nigeria, the hotbed of the undying agitation for Biafra, traditional rulers of the region are now of the view only de-proscribing Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and releasing its leader, Nnamdi Kanu from detention can stabilise the area.
Disturbingly, Abuja has been very reluctant to declare bandits that are shattering the peace in the North as terrorists. Now, El-Rufai said such a declaration will enable the military to attack and kill “these bandits without any major consequences in the international law.”
He was speaking shortly after receiving the third quarter security report from the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna on Wednesday, also said the recruitment of 1,000 youths each across the 774 local government areas of the country would deal a deadly blow to bandits and other criminal elements in the land.
Backing the National Assembly’s resolution to declare bandits as terrorists, the governor said the state government had since 2017 written to the federal government on that, pointing out that “bandits don’t deserve mercy and they should not be allowed to live.”
“We in the Kaduna State government had always urged for the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists. We have written letters to the federal government since 2017 asking for this declaration because it is this declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in the international law.
“So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support for the federal government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists, so that, there will be fair game for our military”, the governor adds.
Earlier, the commissioner in his report said bandits killed no fewer than 343 and abducted 830 persons as well as injured 210 persons among them women and minors within the third quarter of the year in the state.
“The operations against the bandits that began in this last quarter are degrading bandits, but are not yet simultaneous across all the affected states in the North-West region. That explains the limitations that our personnel and other resource deficits have imposed on federal security agencies.
“There are simply no enough boots on the ground to have credible deployment to most places, deter crime, and restore order. That is the reality that we face.
“Many state governments in the North-West and North-Central have adopted a non-conventional approach to help the security agencies to better protect our communities. In our own case, we have about 900 trained and vetted vigilantes personnel working with the security agencies.
“However, we still observed that there is no alternative to launching simultaneous operations in all states”, the commissioner said.
The Igbo traditional rulers are therefore, praying President Muhammadu Buhari to act in that direction in order to reduce the growing tension in the region.
This is coming as Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State says he is still shocked by the attack on traditional rulers in the state by gunmen.
Three of the traditional rulers who were having a meeting at Njaba Local Government Area were killed during the attack while others suffered varying degrees of injuries.
Among the monarchs confirmed dead were the Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community.
In a post on social media, Uzodinma commiserated with the people of Njaba and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack are brought to book.
“The news of the attack on Traditional Rulers of Njaba Local Government Area by some hoodlums, which resulted into some casualties, came to me with a rude shock and this is a clear exhibition of wickedness and desecration of sacred stool.
“I commiserate with the people of Njaba over this incident as I vow on my honor to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. This new dimension to banditry would not be allowed to flourish on our soil”, the governor said.
However, the region’s Council of Traditional Rulers says the situation in Nigeria calls for statesmanship, open and sincere dialogue for compromises, mutual forgiveness and healing; not growing militarization which threatens the country’s existence.
In a statement by Obi Nnaemeka Achebe, Eze Joseph Nwabeke, Eze E.C Okeke and Igwe L.O.C. Agubuzo; Chairmen of Anambra, Abia , Imo and Enugu States council of traditional rulers respectively, the monarchs prayed President Buhari to show sagacity, pragmatism , statesmanship and fatherliness by de-proscribing IPOB as a terrorist organisation and releasing Kanu to Igbo leaders and de-escalate military presence in the geo-political zone as normalcy return.
It tasked all stakeholders in Igbo land to sheathe their sword and rally to engage other sections of the country, stressing that it is senseless to destroy one’s homeland in order to prove marginalization.
‘”President Muhammadu Buhari should show sagacity, pragmatism , statesmanship and fatherliness by causing IPOB to be de-proscribed as a terrorist organization and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be released from detention into the hands of Igbo traditional and religious leaders. The President should also de-escalate the military presence in the Spouth East as normalcy returns.
“The President, federal and state government should demonstrate faith in the nation’s healing by listening more to the yearnings of youths around the country. The obvious feelings of progressive denials of basic human rights among Igbo youths as well as other youths of the country should be given urgent attention.
“We make these statements with every sense of responsibility and belief that our present challenges in AlaIgbo are not insurmountable if genuinely addressed with honesty, mutual respect, and full recognition that lasting peace, progress and development would only come from dialogue, not through armed conflict and a general atmosphere of fear and intimidation.”
The monarchs also called on IPOB, its affiliate organizations and other groups to stop provocative actions that tend to promote violence and fear, adding that the sit at home should be stopped to enable normal economic activities resume without molestation.
On the Anambra state governorship poll, the monarchs tasked Buhari, INEC and security agents to ensure free, fair and credible election, while political parties, their candidates and the electorate must shun violence and electoral malpractice as well as other acts that could truncate the poll.
