Umahi Accuses ‘Desperate’ Politicians Of Sponsoring Banditry In Southeast

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, January 6th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Ebonyi State governor, Chief David Nweze Umahi, has accused “desperate and selfish” politicians in the Southeast Geo political zone of Nigeria, of sponsoring the alarming rate of banditry in parts of region, with the sole aim of destabilising the nation.

He made the accusation Tuesday during a virtual meeting of the South East governors forum, which he is the Chairman.

The Ebonyi governor, who recently defected from his former party, the opposition People’s Democratic party PDP to the ruling All progressive congress APC, regretted that such selfish and desperate politicians are bent on destabilizing the nation.

He said: “There are so many desperate politicians in all the political parties that are so desperate for power and they have aligned with some bandits in the southeast to destabilise the nation.

He, however, expressed concern over the killings and kidnappings going on in the Southeast, adding that “the situation is being heightened by the activities of very desperate politicians, this time irrespective of party affiliations.

African Examiner reports that issues of banditry and cases of kidnapping had been on the increase in Southeast zone in recent time.

The governor equally spoke on a viral social media video, where northerners were allegedly being evicted from Ebonyi State, saying that the video was doctored by some of the said politicians.

According to him, “the Fulani settlement decided to move to Taraba State and retained some of the family members in Ebonyi State and of course, the man is still here.

“Politicians as we have intelligence gathering, went to put a voice and said it is the Igbos that are chasing away the herdsmen from Ebonyi State.

Umahi, admitted that the viral video caused panic in other parts of Nigeria, stressing that about 11 million South Easterners also live in the North.

The South-East governors forum boss, therefore, warned that while perpetrators of such wicked acts may think they want to pull down a particular governor, they may end up creating room for the massacre of millions of innocent Nigerians from Igbo extraction in other segments of Nigeria.

He also advised politicians in the region to stop seeing politics as a do or die affair.