Insecurity: Ohaneze Leader, Iwuanyanwu Raises Alarm Over Killing In South East

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Worried by the alarming rate of insecurity currently confronting South East Nigeria, which has continued to claim dozens of lives,

President General of Igbo umbrella body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Engr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has said that he is ready to lay down his life for peace to reign in Igbo land.

He expressed concern of the ongoing disturbing killings and other forms of unholy acts taking place in the South-East Nigeria.

Addressing a world press conference in Enugu Saturday ahead of the 2023 world Igbo Day celebration slated for September 29, this year, the Ohaneze boss, said that it was obvious that the kinetic approach adopted by the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in the geo-political zone had not yielded any positive result.

He disclosed that as part of this year’s Igbo Day celebration, he will announce some measures which will include a committee to meet with Finland based Simon Ekpa, and other agitators both in Nigeria and abroad to beg them to turn away from violence and embrace peace.

He said: “I have decided that as a father, I am tired of the death of my children. Ndigbo have given me the responsibility of leading them at this time. Each time I hear anybody killed I feel very sad.

“I feel very sad too because those of them who are joining whatever it is are doing it because some of them are hungry.

“Some of them are unemployed. I am not saying that hunger and unemployment should make somebody become a criminal but not everyone has the capacity to endure hardship or hunger.

“We have been using a kinetic approach, I think I’m going to advise, I am going to discuss as part of the Igbo day celebration, I’m likely to announce a non kinetic approach.

“I will as a father now call everybody. It is my duty to call everybody for peace. On 29th of this month during my address, I will initiate a non-kinetic approach.

“I will appeal to our people because we have these programmes we have started so that when people leave school here they will have opportunities.

“So this non-kinetic approach will require everybody’s support. It will require the support of the state governors and the federal government.

“It is good for the federal government to have peace in the South East. It won’t pay them to have bloodshed. Because you see, bloodshed doesn’t pay anybody.

“So whatever sacrifices they make to bring the non-kinetic approach which saves killings and bloodshed will be useful and that is what I want to do.

“I am going to reach all these people by any means and I will talk for peace. I will beg them. I will even give them my life.

” If they want to take my life I am ready to surrender. I will set up a committee. I will send people abroad.

They have mentioned some names of people abroad they feel are doing this. I am going to set up a committee.

“I don’t want to kill any of my children. All these people, the gunmen are my children. We are going there to beg them and to appeal to them.

“To tell them please, tell us what you want us to do and we are doing it already. I am sure that even those who are hungry will find something for them to do to keep them happy. But the shedding of blood should stop.”

On Igbo Day celebration, Chief Iwuanyanwu disclosed that the National Executive Council (NEC) had approved three Igboland awards and will on that day honour Igbo heroes that worked for the race and are dead.

He Further explained that the aim of celebrating Igbo day is to thank God for His blessings on the Igbo people.”It is a day of reflection . Every Igbo man will look back and see the goodness of God.”