By Emma Ogbuehi
A body of senior journalists from the Southeast geopolitical zone, IZUNWANNE, has condemned in strong terms the wanton violence that has suddenly engulfed the region and neighbouring South-south and called for peace in the affected areas.
The group also decried the attack on government agencies and assets, as well as the killing of security personnel by whichever unidentified gunmen in the zones, stressing that the trend must stop. In similar terms, the Editors faulted the indiscriminate killing of innocent persons in the guise of going after the arsonists and destroyers of public facilities in the area. “The situation in Owerri where security agents indiscriminately go after mass arrests of youths in churches and their families is unacceptable to IZUNWANNE and should stop forthwith” it emphasised.
The group made the remarks in a statement signed by its chairman, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu and the Secretary, Elder Ngwuoke Ngwuoke.
It also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to review his “shoot on sight” order on perceived trouble makers to avoid security operatives taking advantage of the directive to engage in indiscriminate shootings and killing many vulnerable, helpless and innocent people in the south east and South-south zones as currently witnessed in the two zones.
According to IZUNWANNE, “such approach can never bring peace but would rather compound issues, lead to intimidation, suppression and coercion”. It added that there are other better and legal ways available to government to responsibly bring about peace and tranquility in the zones than the present path which the security forces are taking.
The group expressed support for a united Nigeria, where equity, justice and fair play are the principles that should govern the co-existence of all peoples of the country.
It argued that fermenters of trouble in the two geo-political zones should not be linked to Ndigbo, stressing that the Igbo are not in support of any group of persons who have taken to violence under whatever name or guise.
“ The Igbo are peace loving enterprising people who live everywhere in Nigeria and have investments there and will never as a people support or resort to using violence as a means of settling issues with anyone.
“ As a people, Ndigbo do not support the killing of security forces and burning of public and private properties by unknown gunmen on one hand and the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians by enraged security personnel on the other hand in the Southeast geo-political zone” the release stated. It called for restraints by the parties involved.
