South-East groups yesterday lambasted the Nigerian Army over
the alleged attack on Biafra agitators at Nnamdi Kanu’s country home in Abia
State.
DAILY POST recalls that no fewer than five persons allegedly
lost their lives in the said attack, while scores were also wounded.
Kanu, the leader of the Idigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,
said he was the target of the attack, even as the military
has insisted that no life was lost.
In a reaction, the Eastern Consultaive Assembly, ECA, said
it was worrisome that only a section of the country was being allowed to to go
on “with the historic culture of enslaving others, to totally control the
military, defense, intelligence and security architecture of a multi-ethic,
heterogeneous country.”
Rev. Fr. John Odey, the Publicity Secretary of the ECA in a
statement lamented that “isolating a whole region as (5%) five percent loosers,
deliberating excluding same region from the entire security organs of the
country, and now provoking them with a military invasion is the height of
insensitivity and brazen insult of a people.
“Driving towards the gate of the most popular leader in the
zone (A man who controls electrifying adoration of over 99% of the masses of
the zone) to blare sirens, shoot into the air and display armored tanks, is
clearly a deliberate and fully rehearsed plot to provoke mayhem.”
He added that “the Army, the government and friends of the
presidency, continuously make it difficult for the people to respect the
Government.
“Childish behavior such as this, at a time prayers are
ceaselessly made to de-escalate tension in the country, only leaves the
citizens wondering if F.G has secretly concluded that provoking bloodshed is
the way to go.”
“Bullets and armored tanks cannot sustain the unjust unitary
structure. The attack on Kanu’s residence is unintelligent it will certainly
back fire.”
Similarly, the Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, the Igbo Leaders’
of Thought, ILT, the Igbo Youth Movement. IYM, the South-East Christian Network
and the Igbo Students’ Union have also risen in condemnation of the said
attack.
Chief Mrs. Maria Okwor of the IWA said “The idea of invading
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s residence on Sunday evening to “Show force” is appalling and
very provocative.
“The army cannot show force in Sambisa, in plateau state
(where hundreds of villagers were slaughtered by Fulani herdsmen) in Ikorodu,
Lagos, (where badoo cult have forced residents to relocate).
“The display of show of force five meters from Kanu’s bedroom is a pointer that
F.G. wants to provoke warfare in the East. This government is clearly an enemy
government. We call on the F.G to apologize without delay for this infantile act
of deliberate provocation.
On his part, Evang. Eliot Ugochukwu-Uko of the ILT and the
IYM said maintained that “the story by the army that some kids threw stones at
the military convoy is hollow and uninspiring.
“Why would the army choose Kanu’s residence to perform their
‘show of force’ on Sunday evening. Why would the army choose Kanu’s residence
of all plages to show force, only to claim that unknown children pelted them
with stones, in order to justify their use of live bullets on a residential compound.
“The Army is only confirming the suspicious, that it is a
sectional army determined to wage war against the people of Eastern Nigeria,
all in a bid to sustain Nigeria’s unjust unitary structure, and to resist the
restructuring of Nigeria. Injustice will not prevail over justice.
“They are only making Kanu more loved and more deified.”
By Emmanuel Uzodinma
