Igbo Ask Buhari To Flush South-east Forests Of Criminals |The Source

By Charles Igbo

The Leadership of the South-east has asked President Muhammadu Buhari for a joint operation in all the forests in the zone. The aim, the Leaders said, is to flush the forests of AK47- wielding youths who are wreaking havoc in the zone.

The zone, as other zones in the country, is burdened with  the activities of armed robbers, kidnappers and assassins. The Leaders believe the forests in the zone are their refuge and operational base.

This request was part of the communique issued at the end of a meeting at the Government House, Enugu, attended by Governors, National Assembly Members, Traditional Rulers,   Youths, and other stake holders.

The meeting was held with a Federal Government Delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Dr Ibrahim Gambari, who was accompanied by others including the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed and a couple of others.

President Buhari set-up the the group, led by Gambari, in  the wake of the #EndSARS protest.

The Leadership of the South-east, also, appreciated the  presence of Herdsmen in the zone who, they said, have been living with the people, peacefully, for years. Of great joy to them, as well,  is the full support the President is giving to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in her bid to become the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, just as they applauded  his efforts to develop the South-east as exemplified by the President’s determination to complete the second Niger bridge, the upgrading of the facilities at the Enugu International Airport, and the Enugu- Porthacourt expressway.

But many Igbo are picking holes with the invitation issued to the President for a joint Operation to flush the zone’s forest of criminally-minded youths, and have expressed shock at such an invitation. They say it is an invitation to anarchy as they fear it could be abused. They fear innocent youths could be victims of such operation.

Dr Chidi Nwokoma, an entrepreneur, told this magazine: “There is already the Operation Crocodile Smile, over which our people are uncomfortable,  and our Leaders are inviting a joint operation. What will be the fate of our youths?”

They also say that they found the communique weak, patronising, and did not address the needs of the people.

Following, is the full text of the communique signed by the Chairman of the South- east Governors’ Forum/ Governor of Ebonyi  State, Engr Dave Umahi.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A MEETING OF SOUTH EAST LEADERS WITH PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION TO SOUTH EAST ON SATURDAY, 7″ NOVEMBER, 2020, AT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LION BUILDING, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ENUGU

After an intensive deliberation and dialogue in a meeting with the

presidential delegation led by Prof. Ibrahim A. Gambari, Chief of Staff to Mr. President with the Inspector General of Police, Director General, Department of State Services, Hon. Minister of Information, Federal Ministers from South East with South East Governors and her leaders, today, 7 November, 2020, at Enugu Government House, we the leaders of the South East made up of all the Governors, South East National Assembly members, Federal Ministers of South East, Clergymen and women, Traditional Rulers, Representatives of all the youth organizations in the South East, and student leadership, have resolved

as follows:

2. We thank Mr. President for sending this powerful delegation to visit our people and hear from us.
3. We thank Mr. President for all the great works he is doing at the second Niger Bridge, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, dualized road of Enugu to Port Harcourt and some other projects in the South East.

3. Mr. President, we thank you so much for all your kind

commitment in the struggle of our sister, Prof. Okonjo lweala to become the DG of the World Trade Organization. We are

particularly grateful with the way you have engaged the world leaders to see her through the process. May God crown your efforts with success- Amen.

4. We request a joint operation into all our forests to flush out criminals and killer herdsmen with AK47, while pledging our

commitment to continuous co-existence with herdsmen who have been living peacefully with us for years.

5. We pledge our undivided support and love to our President and his administration.
6. We, lgbo leaders stand for an indivisible and united Nigeria, built on love, fairness, equity and justice. We believe that under this platform, we are bigger and stronger.
7. We thank Mr. President for the speed and restraint with which he handled the demand of peaceful ENDSARS protesters, especially his commitment to drive Police Reform and mainstream youth empowerment and also for his courage to deal with hoodlums, criminals and those who hi-jacked the initial protests, to hide under the peaceful protest and kill, maim innocent citizens, security agents and public and private properties.
8. We sympathize with the families of civilians and security agencies, who lost their lives and properties during the ENDSARS protests (both peaceful and criminal protests).
9. South East Governors have set up Panels of Enquiry to deal with all infractions of human rights of our people and security agencies, compensation funds for all civilians and security men who lost their lives during the protest. We have also set up empowerment/employment fund to help more of our youth earn their lawful daily means of livelihood.
10. We, therefore, with humility, request our President, the father of our nation, to please look into the demands of the various groups of our people, as presented today, review same with a view to solving them. South East people believe in one Nigeria and this is the reason we are in every part of this country erecting infrastructures, living peacefully with our host communities and doing our businesses.
11. We pledge to continue to protect all the various ethnic groups living in South East. We enjoin them to go about their businesses peacefully. We thank Mr. President, Governors and traditional rulers in other parts of Nigeria for their commitment to protect our people, especially during and after the protests. We must continue to live in peace.
12. We appreciate Mr. President’s delegation for carefully listening to, engaging with stakeholders and undertaking to report

faithfully to Mr. President for his consideration and necessary action.

13. We request Mr. President to commit the various presentations of all of us – Traditional Rulers, Religious leaders, the women group, the Ohaneze leadership and the youth groups, and give full support to actualizing these genuine demands.
14. We wish Mr. President’s delegation journey mercies as they travel back, as we pray to God to continue to guard our Presidents health and guide him, as he pilots the affairs of our nation.