OHANAEZE Ndigbo has tasked the leadership of all Igbo town unions to use this year’s Christmas and New Year to address the issues of insecurity and frequent sit-at-home that have ruined the economic and social life of the South-East region.
It also urged them to talk to the youths in their various communities about the need to embrace hard work and shun get-rich-quick attitudes.
Ohanaeze said it could not understand how the South-East region which was the most peaceful suddenly became an area associated with only crimes and violent activities.
The group said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia.
The statement reads:” The South-East of Nigeria was adjudged the most peaceful and serene geo-political zone until April 5, 2021, when hoodlums or the unknown gunmen attacked and overwhelmed the Correctional Centre, Owerri, and released a total of 1,844 prison inmates.
“Ohanaeze had interrogated the strategic capacity of the local non-state actors to overwhelm a highly fortified Correctional centre and discharged a total of 1,844 inmates without any arrest. Since that episode, the Igbo are confronted with various forms of insecurity.
“Added to the menace of herdsmen-farmers clashes, we now have kidnappers and community invaders in many parts of Igboland. Hundreds of lives have been lost to these recent developments. This is very appalling and unbecoming. There must be a drastic step to counter the narrative.
“There is no gainsaying the rampant sit-at-home in the South-East has done incalculable damage to the Igbo economy.
“Evidence has shown that the Igbo adversaries are happy that we have chosen to face the barrel of the gun inwards.
“It is inconceivable that a group of people will decide to cripple its economy. This is an unfortunate exercise and must be addressed at the town’s meeting.
“That bad men thrive because good men go to sleep is an age-old statement founded on truth, reason and experience”.
