By Chijindu Emeruwa

The highest Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged governors of southeast extraction to engage in a genuine youth empowerment programmes rather than acquiring hundreds of military vans to unleash attacks on Igbo youths.

The Secretary General of the Igbo group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement made available to OHAFAI-TV News Monday, in Umuahia, warned that the apex body will not fold its arms and see igbo children, men and women being extra judiciously killed, insisting that genuine empowerment of the people was key to end banditry, kidnapping and arm robbery.

Isiguzoro also posited that Ohanaeze is opposed to the payment of ransom to bandits and hoodlums to secure release of abductors, and commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state for his magic wand which saw the unconditional release of the abducted student of Abia state University ABSU, Uturu at the weekend.

He condemned vehemently the burning down of Police station at Ubani Market in Umuahia North local government area of Abia state by yet to be identified gunmen, vowing that capital punishment awaits perpetrators of the unwarranted attacks

Abia government had confirmed that the Mike Okiro Police Station located along Umuahia-Uzoakoli road, close to the Ubani market, was attacked Sunday morning.

John Okiyi Kalu, Information Commissioner in a statement said the gunmen moved in a bus, 2 Sienna vehicles and 3 motorcycles. Two vehicles, two motorcycles, stationeries and office equipment inside the police station were set on fire.

However, Isiguzoro stated in words, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide expresses our joy on what will terms Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s magic wand to resolve the abduction of the ABSU students. It is something we give God the glory and we are thankful to the Governor. One thing we must point out is that Ikpeazu is one of the Igbo sons we are proud of, a man who has portrayed high level of discipline and also shown Igbo interest.

“We want to also condemn vehemently the burning down of police station at Ubani Umuahia Township Market on Sunday. We wish to tell southeast governors that resolving Insecurity challenges in the southeast will only require genuine youth empowerment programmes, not buying of hundreds military vans. You can bear me witness that areas that are the theatre of banditry in the southeast are those areas where there are zero youth empowerment programmes and misplaced priority in governance.

“And there is zero youth participation in governance. The only way to curb these excesses is for those governors who had excluded the youths in governance, for those governors who preferred to buy military vans, to roll out genuine youth empowerment. We urge other governors to emulate Ikpeazu, who is the champion of youth empowerment in the southeast and champion of made in Nigeria goods, which have empowered thousands of youths across the country. So, we are calling on the southeast governors, that the only solution which we are at the peak to resolve the security crisis in Southeast, is to engage the youths through the proper channels and means.

“Again, we want to further use this medium to tell our governors that the best way is not to pay ransom or give somebody money somewhere for him to stop criminal activities. We want to remind every actors who are participatory in this crisis, we may be forced to petition all principal actors in the insecurity challenges in the southeast, to the international court of Justice Hague. And we know the capital punishment await perpetrators of these violences.

“Finally, Ohanaeze will not fold its arm and allow igbo children being slaughtered like cows at this period. We are giving one month for ceasefire, we are making an arrangement where the hoodlums, bandits, and everybody causing this crisis will come in a centre place and this crisis will be resolved”.