Igbo elders and leaders have said that the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra in Exile in Finland over alleged terrorist activities, was not the solution to the insecurity in the South East.

They noted that even jailing Ekpa would not make any difference unless the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was released.

To them, what will reduce insecurity in the South-East is to release Nnamdi Kanu, bring Simon Ekpa back to Nigeria, and prosecute him for all the killings he masterminded in the region.

A businessman in Awka, Mr. Kingsley Okanume, expressed happiness with the arrest of Ekpa, adding that he had been the cause of the insecurity in the South East through his unwarranted incitement.

Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, during the burial of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah In Nnewi, urged the government of Finland to sustain its stronghold on Simon Ekpa, describing him as a rascal.

He wondered why Ekpa, whose village in Ebonyi State does not observe the sit-at-home order on Mondays, has been forcing other parts of Igbo land to sit at home.

The bishop further lamented that Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has been under pressure to ensure that lives and property are protected in the state, and urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and other senators at the event to make strong representations before the presidency.

He said: ?These people say that they want Biafra Republic and I wonder why they kill and kidnap their brothers and sisters in the name of the same Biafra.

?You undertake gorilla warfare, destroy the economy of Igboland. For those in government, I want you all to sustain what is happening in Finland, we like it.

?I want to plead with all the senators here that our governor has suffered and has been under pressure to ensure that lives and property of the people are secured.?

Another respondent, Nze Bartholomew Akaolisa noted that Nnamdi Kanu brought Eastern Security Network, ESN, to protect Igbo against killer Fulani herdsmen, not to be killing our brothers, ?but this evil-minded man known as Simon Ekpa, brought unknown gunmen and we have not known his mission.?

Akaolisa said: ?Simon Ekpa should be brought to Nigeria and paraded in all the major towns in the South East so people can know the man who has been causing mayhem for many years. After parading him, he should be prosecuted and made to face the full weight of the law.?

Similarly, a former Chairman of Umuahia North Traditional Rulers Council, Abia State, HRM Eze Philip Ajomiwe, has said that contrary to some opinions, the recent arrest of the Finland-based self-styled Biafra Prime Minister, Mazi Simon Ekpa, is not the solution to the troubling insecurity in the Southeast region.

The royal father, who spoke exclusively with Vanguard, argued that Ekpa?s arrest would rather worsen the tension caused by the extraordinary rendition and continued detention of the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

According to him, the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu, and not the arrest of more Biafran agitators, remains the panacea to the rising tension and insecurity in the South East.

Also yesterday, the Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a statement, said Ekpa?s arrest ?has brought to the fore the pressing insecurity issues in South East,? calling for urgent actions to address all issues leading to insecurity in the zone.

?Addressing the challenges posed by figures like Simon Ekpa requires a holistic approach, targeting the socio-political issues fueling discontent. Only then can sustainable peace and security in the South-East be achieved. Without this comprehensive strategy, the cycle of violence and the rise of new separatist movements are likely to continue,? RULAAC said.

The statement further called for the implementation of programs to combat poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure deficits in the zone.

Meantime, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it was determined to end the long state of insecurity in the South-East.

Spokesman of the Defence Ministry, Henshaw Ogbuike, said in a statement on Saturday that the assurance was given by Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Defence, when he addressed military officers during an operational visit to Enugu State.

?There is a renewed determination to intensify our efforts against all forms of insecurity under President Tinubu?s leadership,? Badaru said.

The minister noted that a secure environment was required for business growth and peace and urged the military to intensify its efforts towards confronting insecurity in the region.

Badaru noted that Tinubu?s intention to remove all forms of insecurity was being affected beyond the South-East region.

The minister, who visited Imo in continuation of his operational tour of the region, also visited Governor Hope Uzodimma and expressed his gratitude to the governor for his support of the military operations in the state. (Vanguard)

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