IN reaction to the threat by the renegade IPOB member, Simon Ekpa, that the upcoming elections would not hold in the South-East region, the Federal Government summoned the Ambassador of Finland in Nigeria, where Ekpa resides as a citizen, and raised serious concern over the threat. The government also noted the destructive activities of Ekpa and his group.

Also, a PAN Nigeria group, made up of eminent elders presented a petition to the Ambassador over Ekpa’s evil activities in the South-East where he had frequently declared sit-at-home which violent enforcement had led to killings, maiming and colossal destruction of properties of innocent residents of the region.

Police talk tough on Ekpa

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, reacting to the threat, warned that Nigerian authorities are not taking the threat lightly.

He announced the deployment of about 404,106, made up of 310, 973 personnel and other security agencies to provide security for the elections, warning those who will try to cause any trouble to have a rethink.

He described Ekpa’s threat as an attempt to destabilize the country and would not be taken lightly.

Ignore the sit-at-home — Ohanaeze

Worried by the threat, Ohanaeze Ndigbo held an executive committee meeting and condemned the threat by Simon Ekpa to lock down Igbo land.

Ohanaeze “expressed both shock and doubt that a true Igbo will unconscionably embark on a disingenuous duplicitous adventure aimed at denigrating, disenfranchising and decimating his people,” during the general election.

Ohanaeze noted that IPoB has disowned any sit-at-home in the South-East during the election period and wondered who Ekpa is working for.

“Ohanaeze therefore urges the residents in Igbo land to ignore the sit-at-home in its entirety.”

PAN Nigeria Group petitions Finnish government

A delegation of PAN Nigeria group, made up of eminent personalities also visited the Finnish Ambassador in Nigeria to express concern over the threat and destructive activities of Ekpa and his group in the South-East region.

Leader of the delegation, Chief Simon Okeke lamented the destructive activities of Ekpa. They accused him of sponsoring series of terrorist and hate- motivated campaigns against the people of the South-East.

“On his instructions, many have been killed and maimed in the South-East, as well as properties belonging to both private citizens, state and Federal Government worth billions of naira destroyed.

“He has also recently directed a sit-at-home throughout the entire South-East region to commence before, during and after the general election,” the delegation complained

Relying, Ambassador Leena thanked the delegation for coming. She noted that Ekpa has fundamental human rights that have to be upheld, but accepted that there is a limit to those rights and that the government of Finland is doing “certain things” about this matter, but said she couldn’t mention those things publicly as they remain classified information.

She stated that her office was doing all that is possible to get adequate information on Ekpa and admitted discussing the issue with the Foreign Affairs Minister of State.

She, however, noted that there are aspects of the matter that require a response from the Federal Government which hasn’t been done.

Go and vote, ignore any sit-at-home — South East monarchs

The South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, SECTR, angrily reacted to the threat and urged their subjects and residents of the zone to ignore any sit-at-home order and go out to vote for their preferred candidates. They spoke after an Executive Committee Meeting of the year held in Enugu.

“The royal fathers called on the people of the South-East to go out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates during the elections and to ignore any sit-at-home order. The Council appealed to the security agencies to create a conducive and safe environment for the general election.

“The Council called on all traditional rulers to take control of their various domains during the election for peaceful, free and credible elections to take place,” communiqué jointly signed by Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers and Eze Joseph Nwabeke, the Ezeamara of Eziama Ntigha, Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, said.

FG’s action commendable but belated — Security experts

In his contribution, Dr. Freedom Onuoha commended the Federal Government for interfacing with Finnish authorities to commence diplomatic actions aimed at reining in Simon Ekpa, though it is coming late.

Onuoha, a Senior Lecturer in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, lamented that many lives have been lost and properties destroyed due to Ekpa’s violent activities in the region and should not be allowed to continue to use faceless elements to thwart peace and security in the South-East region.

Also, a former security Chief of the Exxon Mobil, Sam Otoboeze, lauded the Federal Government for exploiting diplomatic routines in containing Ekpa’s destructive tendencies in the region.

According to him, it defeats good diplomatic relationship if Finnish Government looks the other way while Ekpa stays in their country to throw stones at Nigerians in such a magnitude that has resulted in loss of lives and properties.

Allow elections to hold, Iwuanyanwu urges agitators

Elder statesman and Chairman of Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu urged the agitators in the South-East to allow elections hold in the zone, and urged the youths of the zone to give peace a chance. He said moves were being made to address their grievances.

Iwuanyanwu said he is planning to convene a peace summit in which all stakeholders would meet to search for peace. He regretted how Igbos are killing themselves after the tribe lost more than two million people during the civil war.

“Our youths should please allow elections to hold and give peace a chance. Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is organising a peace summit to address the security situation and economy of Igbo land. I never knew a day would come when the Igbo would be killing their own, after we lost more than two million people during the civil war.

“We are making efforts towards the release of Nnamdi Kanu. I appeal to them to stop the bloodletting in Igbo land,” he admonished.

Residents of Anambra State reacted angrily to the threat and warned that Ekpa had taken his joke too far. They urged the people not to succumb to the cheap blackmail.

Chief Anadi Nwolisa, a PDP chieftain said: “My advice is that our people should ignore these threats from someone who is residing comfortably with his family in Europe only to be misdirecting our people.

“This Ekpa does not mean well for the South-East and I believe that he is paid by some politicians outside Igbo land to be doing this hatchet job for them. People should ask questions about his interest in election not taking place in the South-East when the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which he claims to belong to, had since disowned him.

“The Nigerian government should go after Simon Ekpa. One obscure person cannot be threatening the lives of our people from abroad and our government will just ignore him.”

Mr. Fabian Okafor, a retired school principal urged the people to ignore the threat and go out to vote.

“The leadership of IPoB has disowned him. From what is happening, it looks like he is paid to create a state of insecurity and anarchy in Igbo land”, Okafor said.

Bishop Onaga calls for peace

Speaking on the threat, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Calistus Onaga, admonished the agitators to give peace a chance.

“Please we want to be free. How can you say you are fighting for my rights and freedom and you are chaining me to my doors and windows? How can you say you are protecting me and fighting for my security and you are at the same time shooting and killing me? We cannot reconcile this claim and the present situation in the South-East.

“In the South-East, people now go outside the zone to celebrate their birthdays, conduct funerals of their loved ones,give out their children in marriage and hold other social events, yet, you claim to be fighting for my freedom and protecting my security.

“This is not fair. You are fighting for me and you are killing me. Killing is not good. Killing has deadly repercussion and consequences and you can never run away from it, either you or your children.

“How can you be outside in safe haven where you enjoy good life and you are causing destruction of lives and property in Igbo land? My dear, you will never go unpunished for it. God will surely give you his judgment and you can never run away from it.

“You don’t want us to vote here but where you are living, you vote and participate actively in politics. My dear people, you must go and vote, ignore such calls and antics to stop us from voting.”

On his own, the paramount traditional ruler of Abiriba ancient kingdom, Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu, Enachioken Abiriba, said it was a good decision for the Federal Government to go after Ekpa so that elections could hold peacefully in the South East.

“I don’t know why everybody allowed him all these while until now to gain this momentum,” he said. (Vanguard)