The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja has affirmed the military’s commitment to bringing an end to insecurity in the South-East.
He said people of the South-East should be rest assured that kidnappings, banditry and assasinations would soon be things of the past.
Lagbaja gave the assurance during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee investigating the killing and kidnapping in Umunneochi community, Abia State.
The Army Chief, represented by the Deputy Director, Operations, Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Gabriel Olufemi Esho, said the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, will work round the clock to restore peace in the region.
”The House of representative through its letter dated 3rd August 2023 requested that the Nigerian Army submit a memorandum to the ad-hoc committee to interface with relevant security agencies and stockholders in respect of incessant attacks of kidnappers, assassination and banditry and other criminal elements in and around these two local government areas.
“It is pertinent to state that recently, efforts of the Nigerian Army, through its Division in conjunction with other security agencies, have diminished the threat of kidnapping,” he said in part.
Meanwhile in other news…
The Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), has now set aside Mondays as an “Economic empowerment day” following the cancellation of all sit-at-home in the entire South-East.
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful made this known in a statement on Saturday, adding that the aim is to enable the people to mobilise resources and means towards reversing the sharp decline in the economic, educational, and social sectors of the region caused by the prolonged sit-at-home.
According to the secessionist group, the move followed the total cancellation of all forms of sit-at-home in the region as stated in Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s handwritten letter which was made public through his counsel Alloy Ejimakor.
The group reiterated that Kanu’s handwritten letter was never written under any duress, compulsion, or influence of any kind.
The statement read; “Through education, employment, health services, sense of identity and community, our people and indeed, the Eastern region can begin to thrive and grow.
“There is an urgent need to reclaim our lost glory by embarking on empowering Biafrans with the resources they need to live beyond mere subsistence as our people are known globally for hard work, resilience, and great achievements.
“The implication of this Economic Empowerment Day is that Biafrans are expected to devote significant time to adhere to their routine calendar schedule template strictly and uninterruptedly with a view to making up for the humongous time lost to the activities of misguided enforcers of unsanctioned Monday sit-at-home order.
“Anybody questioning the authenticity of the handwritten letter suspending further Monday sit-at-home is patently dishonest and not worthy to be called a Biafran. Anybody who claims to know Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will also know that nobody will be courageous enough to coerce him to do anything that will jeopardise the restoration of Biafra. Therefore, enough is enough. It is time we consolidate efforts to rebuild our once-envied Eastern region”.
