By CHARLES IWUOHA

Southeast leaders, on Thursday, rose from a meeting in Enugu, calling for an end to destruction of public and private properties under the guise of #EndSARS protest.

News Express reports that the meeting is coming in the wake of the #EndSARS protest which turned violent, leading to loss of lives and properties.

A communique issued after the meeting was read by chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi.

It reads: “We sympathise with all the victims’ families, including the police and other security agencies, as well as all those who lost their loved ones, property in the recent disturbances that followed the End SARS agitation.

“The Southeast leaders will engage our youths to ensure a sustainable peace in the Southeast and a glorious future for our children.

“Each state in the Southeast will set up a fund to assist the victims of the crisis, including the police, the army and other security agencies, as well as civilians.

“That state governors are committed to addressing the concerns of our young people that are peculiar to various states and will engage the federal government and their colleagues in other states to address the other issues that are national.

“We advise all our youths that while our governors are working hard to meet their demand, the destruction of public and private properties and killing of security agents will never be allowed to continue.

“We, therefore, direct all Igbos, both here and outside Nigeria, to go about their businesses and should not participate in any form of unlawful protest and criminality.

“We offer to protect all ethnic groups living in the Southeast and we thank other part of Nigeria for protecting our people in their areas too.”

Our correspondent reports that also present at the meeting were Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, Imo State Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Sam Egwu, Senator Uche Ekwunife.

Others include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Uchechukwu Ogah, Minister of State for Environment, Hon. Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, the Obi of Onitsha, HRM, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Amb. Mrs. Justina Eze, etc.

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