Ohanaeze Ndigbo has explained it’s failed attempts to persuade, arrested factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, to end the protracted Sit-at-home in the Southeast.
Speaking on the arrest of Ekpa in Finland, the National Publicity Secretary Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, they engaged former governor of Ebonyi State, council chairman and traditional rulers to appeal to him but he refused to listen to anybody...CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Ogbonnia said: “For a long time Ohanaeze has been opposed to sit-at-home because it costs a lot to the south east. On such days, all these non-state actors would begin to enforce it and in the process, people are killed, wounded and activities are disrupted.
“It came to point that people that come to Southeast on Mondays stopped coming. Many people that come from the North, West and South stopped coming because of non-state actors trying to enforce sit-at-home.
“And we kept appealing to Simon Ekpa. The governor of Ebonyi State that time, council chairman and traditional rulers and even appealed to him through his contacts to see how we can stop all he was doing.
“At a point Chief Simon Okeke even we t to the Finish Embassy and appeal to them to see how they could help stop the activities of Simon Ekpa.
“As a matter of fact, Simon Ekpa has been threatening the Southeast, cause a lot of problems in the Southeast and we are using this opportunity t appeal to our youths.
“The Yoruba people are talking about secession and that they want a Yoruba Nation, while their own is diplomatic, our own is violence.
“So, we appeal to our youth because it likely that now that Simon Ekpa is arrested, one other person will wear red cap and begin to talk about Biafra. We are appealing to our youth to take it easy because it is not the way to go.
“So, Simon Ekpa is our son like all the Igbo boys but the more important thing for us is that there must be peace and peace must return to Southeast.
“It is to the advantage of our youth and the advantage of everybody that there is peace in the Southeast. The more Southeast is distabilise, the more unemployment is created and the more economic activities will be hindered.
“And of course, the more the poverty and agitation. We have never seen any freedom fighter who faces the guns inwards, you don’t begin to kill and destroy your people because you are a freedom fighter.
“It doesn’t happen anywhere. Look at what happened in Anambra State the other day and all parts of Igbo land. Every Monday people will be afraid. So, this is how we feel about what has happened.”
