Biafra: Southeast Leaders Disown IPOB, MASSOB, Others

*Say Secessionists Not Speaking For Ndigbo

Southeast leaders Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to one
united Nigeria under the platform of justice, equality of rights,
fairness, love and respect for one another.

The leaders also used the opportunity to disown secessionist
activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for
the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other
pro-Biafran agitators, saying the groups were never speaking for
the Igbo.

Rising from a close door security meeting at the Enugu State
government house, the leaders made up of Southeast present and past
governors, ministers, National Assembly members, other leaders of
political, religious and traditional institutions from the zone,
the leaders condemned in totality the violent secessionist
agitations in the southeast and firmly proclaimed that “we do not
support them. They do not speak for Southeast”.

In a communiqué read to journalists at the end of the four-hour
meeting, by the chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum and
Ebonyi State governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, said the leaders have set
up a committee to engage such youths leading secessionist
agitations to stop and allow the elders of the Southeast to address
their fears.

Umahi also assured non-Igbos living in the southeast of their
security and protection.

The fully attended meeting also directed southeast governors and
Ohanaeze Ndigbo to liaise with indigenes from Northern part of
Nigeria and other indigenes of other regions that are living in the
southeast to come out openly to assure their people and Nigerians
that they are very safe and well protected while living in the
southeast.

According to Umahi, the meeting was a follow-up of the meeting
Presidential delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen.
Bashir Magashi had with the Igbo leaders, on June 11, 2021, on the
security challenges confronting the region in particular and
Nigeria in general.

The meeting, he added, was to enable the leaders to articulate
their position to enable them not only to engage the presidential
team but to also engage their people overall burning issues.

The communiqué reads in part: “We, the southeast leaders condemn
in totality the violent secessionist agitations in the southeast.
We firmly proclaim that we do not support them. They do not speak
for the Southeast.

“The impression that Southeast leaders are silent over the
agitations of our youths for secession is not correct. Southeast
governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo president and our national assembly
members, our ministers and our leadership from southeast, notable
leaders from southeast had come out publicly many times in the past
to speak against such agitations.

“In order not to mismanage the unfortunate situation we found
ourselves, Southeast leaders have set up a committee to engage such
youths to stop and allow the elders of Southeast to address their
fears.

“Meeting directed our governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo to liaise
with indigenes from Northern part of Nigeria and other indigenes of
other regions that are living in the southeast to come out openly
to assure their people and Nigerians that they are very safe and
well protected while living in the southeast.

“The meeting also set up a committee under Ohanaeze to
articulate and address all burning issues to further meet amongst
ourselves and further meet with the presidential team

“We the Igbos reaffirm commitment to one united Nigeria under
the platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and
respect for one another.”

The communiqué also noted the threats by some groups in some
other regions against the people of Southeast even as the leaders
firmly promised to protect everyone either from the Southeast or
anywhere living in the southeast.

“We plead with the leaders of other regions to please note the
threats against our people and protect them.

“We condemn the killing of security agents, burning of security
infrastructure and killing of civilians in Southeast and even other
regions. We request the security agencies to discharge their duties
within the rules of engagement under the rule of law.”

The communiqué endorsed the Southeast joint security outfit,
Ebube Agu and asked all the personnel of Ebube Agu to work with
security agencies and respect the rights and privileges of all
those living in the southeast and her visitors.

The communiqué also requested national assembly members from the
Southeast to support state police creation in the ongoing
Constitutional amendment.

It commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for taking
the pains of hosting them at all times without complaining.

Other governors present in the meeting included Dr. Okezie
Ikpeazu of Abia State while Governor Hope Uzodimma and his Anambra
State counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano were represented by their
deputies, Prof. Placid Njoku and Nkem Okeke respectively.

Other leaders present were former Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya
Abaribe; former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu; former
Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of old
Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo and president-general of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor and his predecessor, Chief
Nnia Nwodo.

Others were: Minister of labour and productivity, Senator Chris
Ngige; Minister of state for mines and steel, Uche Ogah; former
secretary to the government of the federation, Senator Anyim Pius
Anyim; elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Archbishop
Emmanuel Chukwuma and Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Anglican and
Catholic Dioceses; Southeast CAN Chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Ede and
Former INEC Chairman, Maurice Iwu.

The rest included Allison Madueke, Mark Wabara, Senators Julius
Ucha and Obinna Ogba, traditional rulers

*Say Secessionists Not Speaking For Ndigbo

Southeast leaders Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to one
united Nigeria under the platform of justice, equality of rights,
fairness, love and respect for one another.

The leaders also used the opportunity to disown secessionist
activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for
the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other
pro-Biafran agitators, saying the groups were never speaking for
the Igbo.

Rising from a close door security meeting at the Enugu State
government house, the leaders made up of Southeast present and past
governors, ministers, National Assembly members, other leaders of
political, religious and traditional institutions from the zone,
the leaders condemned in totality the violent secessionist
agitations in the southeast and firmly proclaimed that “we do not
support them. They do not speak for Southeast”.

In a communiqué read to journalists at the end of the four-hour
meeting, by the chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum and
Ebonyi State governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, said the leaders have set
up a committee to engage such youths leading secessionist
agitations to stop and allow the elders of the Southeast to address
their fears.

Umahi also assured non-Igbos living in the southeast of their
security and protection.

The fully attended meeting also directed southeast governors and
Ohanaeze Ndigbo to liaise with indigenes from Northern part of
Nigeria and other indigenes of other regions that are living in the
southeast to come out openly to assure their people and Nigerians
that they are very safe and well protected while living in the
southeast.

According to Umahi, the meeting was a follow-up of the meeting
Presidential delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen.
Bashir Magashi had with the Igbo leaders, on June 11, 2021, on the
security challenges confronting the region in particular and
Nigeria in general.

The meeting, he added, was to enable the leaders to articulate
their position to enable them not only to engage the presidential
team but to also engage their people overall burning issues.

The communiqué reads in part: “We, the southeast leaders condemn
in totality the violent secessionist agitations in the southeast.
We firmly proclaim that we do not support them. They do not speak
for the Southeast.

“The impression that Southeast leaders are silent over the
agitations of our youths for secession is not correct. Southeast
governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo president and our national assembly
members, our ministers and our leadership from southeast, notable
leaders from southeast had come out publicly many times in the past
to speak against such agitations.

“In order not to mismanage the unfortunate situation we found
ourselves, Southeast leaders have set up a committee to engage such
youths to stop and allow the elders of Southeast to address their
fears.

“Meeting directed our governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo to liaise
with indigenes from Northern part of Nigeria and other indigenes of
other regions that are living in the southeast to come out openly
to assure their people and Nigerians that they are very safe and
well protected while living in the southeast.

“The meeting also set up a committee under Ohanaeze to
articulate and address all burning issues to further meet amongst
ourselves and further meet with the presidential team

“We the Igbos reaffirm commitment to one united Nigeria under
the platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and
respect for one another.”

The communiqué also noted the threats by some groups in some
other regions against the people of Southeast even as the leaders
firmly promised to protect everyone either from the Southeast or
anywhere living in the southeast.

“We plead with the leaders of other regions to please note the
threats against our people and protect them.

“We condemn the killing of security agents, burning of security
infrastructure and killing of civilians in Southeast and even other
regions. We request the security agencies to discharge their duties
within the rules of engagement under the rule of law.”

The communiqué endorsed the Southeast joint security outfit,
Ebube Agu and asked all the personnel of Ebube Agu to work with
security agencies and respect the rights and privileges of all
those living in the southeast and her visitors.

The communiqué also requested national assembly members from the
Southeast to support state police creation in the ongoing
Constitutional amendment.

It commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for taking
the pains of hosting them at all times without complaining.

Other governors present in the meeting included Dr. Okezie
Ikpeazu of Abia State while Governor Hope Uzodimma and his Anambra
State counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano were represented by their
deputies, Prof. Placid Njoku and Nkem Okeke respectively.

Other leaders present were former Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya
Abaribe; former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu; former
Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of old
Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo and president-general of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor and his predecessor, Chief
Nnia Nwodo.

Others were: Minister of labour and productivity, Senator Chris
Ngige; Minister of state for mines and steel, Uche Ogah; former
secretary to the government of the federation, Senator Anyim Pius
Anyim; elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Archbishop
Emmanuel Chukwuma and Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Anglican and
Catholic Dioceses; Southeast CAN Chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Ede and
Former INEC Chairman, Maurice Iwu.

The rest included Allison Madueke, Mark Wabara, Senators Julius
Ucha and Obinna Ogba, traditional rulers