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| Ben Nwabueze, MASSOB, ECA, INC, ILT, IYM others blast Army invasion of Kanu's home |
Professor Ben Nwabueze, the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) and other groups have condemned the Nigerian Army invasion of Nnamdi Kanu in a bi to assassinate him.
Nwabueze, in a statement said: ‘’The report of the attack on Nnamdi Kanu’s Umuahia home by soldiers, during which some people were reportedly killed or injured is a matter of grave concern, because it occurred at a time the country is facing destabilising crisis and threat to its peaceful co-existence and at a time the South East governors are making valiant efforts to contain the danger of the repercussions of the crisis by interventions with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB.
"The situation in the country calls for great restraint on the part of all, and for the Federal Government to stop actions capable of escalating all crisis, such as the reported attack on the Nnamdi Kanu’s home.’’
In its reaction, the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, said it was worrisome that only a section of the country was being allowed to go on “with the historic culture of enslaving others, to totally control the military, defence, intelligence and security architecture of a multi-ethnic and heterogeneous country.”
Rev. Fr. John Odey, the Publicity Secretary of the ECA in a statement lamented that “isolating a whole region as five percent losers, deliberating excluding same region from the entire security organs of the country, and now provoking them with a military invasion is the height of insensitivity and insult.
“Driving towards the gate of the most popular leader in the zone (a man who controls electrifying adoration of over 99% of the masses of the zone) to blare sirens, shoot into the air and display armoured tanks, is clearly a deliberate and fully rehearsed plot to provoke mayhem.”
He added that “the Army and the government continuously make it difficult for the people to respect the government.
Leader of the IWA, Chief Mrs. Maria Okwor, said: “The idea of invading Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s residence on Sunday evening to “Show force” is appalling and very provocative.
“The army cannot show force in Sambisa, in Plateau State where hundreds of villagers were slaughtered by herdsmen, in Ikorodu, Lagos where badoo cult has forced residents to relocate.
“The show of force five metres from Kanu’s house shows that the Federal Government wants to provoke warfare in the East.’’
On his part, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko of the ILT and IYM maintained that “the story by the army that some kids threw stones at the military convoy is hollow and uninspiring. Why would the army choose Kanu’s residence to perform their ‘show of force’ on Sunday evening only to claim that unknown children pelted them with stones, in order to justify their use of live bullets on a residential compound.
“The Army is only confirming the suspicion that it is a sectional army determined to wage war against the people of Eastern Nigeria, in a bid to sustain Nigeria’s unjust unitary structure, and to resist the restructuring of Nigeria. Injustice will not prevail over justice. They are only making Kanu more loved and deified.”
Reacting to the Army’s Operation Python Dance II in South-East states, former NADECO member, Chief Ralph Obioha said he was worried about helicopters that hovered in the region. Obioha said he was not well briefed about the operation and demanded that the army should endeavour to sensitise the citizenry well before embarking on any military operation.
Umuahia North monarchs urge govt to embrace dialogue
Monarchs in Umuahia North Council of Abia State have cautioned the Federal Government against the use of force to stop the agitation for Biafra but rather should engage the agitators in dialogue and listen to their demands. Chairman of Umuahia North Traditional Rulers’ Council, Eze Philip Ajomuiwe, who was reacting to the invasion of Kanu’s home insisted that dialogue is alway the best option towards resolving problems.
He said the soldiers’ action was an affront on the traditional institution in Abia as well as an attack on Ndigbo.
“Arresting Kanu won’t solve the Nigerian problem. Even if you kill Kanu today, IPOB is still there and greater Kanus will come up. We should think before acting and not act before thinking”, he cautioned.
Buhari bent on committing another genocide on Ndigbo— MASSOB
MASSOB, in condemning the attack alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was bent on committing a second genocide on Ndigbo and urged the international community to come to the rescue of unarmed Biafrans.
MASSOB Director of Information, Samuel Edeson in a statement in Enugu, yesterday, said it was regrettable that instead of the soldiers going to quench war in areas where there are crises, it has chosen to work against the letters of the Nigeria constitution.
It said: “The president has no constitutional right to deploy military to any part of the country without the approval of the National Assembly.
"President Buhari and the Chief of the Army staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai should, as a matter of urgency, withdraw the soldiers from the entire Biafran land or they should be ready to face legal action for genocide against Biafrans. What has Ndigbo done to deserve this ethnic cleansing?’’
INC wants Army Chief sacked
The INC called for the sack of the Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Turkur Yusuf Buratai over the Umuahia clash. The National President of INC, in a statement urged the National Assembly to set up a panel of enquiry to ascertain the level of damage done so far.
“The INC condemns in strong terms the invasion of the country home of Nnamdi Kanu and the reckless killing civilians during the invasion. INC hereby call on the National Assembly to immediately set up a panel of inquiry or convene a public hearing to ascertain the level of damage, punish the perpetrators and pay reparation accordingly. The INC therefore call for the immediate sack and prosecution of the Chiefs of Army and Defense Staff on charges of genocide against armless civilians in Umuahia.”
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