Igbo elders sad over Plateau killings, Rivers explosion

The Igbo Elders Consultative Forum (IECF) has expressed sadness over the attacks in Plateau State and the petroleum explosion in Rivers State which left hundreds of people dead.

In a statement, the Secretary General of the forum, Professor Charles Nwekeaku, on Friday, the elders called on the federal and state governments to rise to the occasion of protecting lives and property and enhance the living standard of the people to reduce the level of criminality.

The Igbo elders said it was disheartening to note that citizens were being killed like fouls and no concrete actions were being taken.

The statement reads in part: “This is the Christmas season when Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. People travel home, exchange gifts, rejoice and give thanks to God for seeing them through the year.

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“And despite the difficulties of these times such as inflation, unemployment, rising cost of living, including insecurity, several people came home to celebrate Christmas with their kith and kin, only to be killed like fowls.

“Until now, no arrests have been made concerning the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, and the worst of it is that the suspected killers gave notice of their coming. We learnt that they wrote a letter to inform them and people relayed the information to security agents and no arrangement was made to protect the lives of these people.”

He expressed shock that the attackers were so bold to have further written to other communities and the government is helpless about the situation.

They added that, “It seems that Nigeria is degenerating to a state of nature characterised by lawlessness, insecurity, violence and brutish and short lives; nobody is safe anymore.”

On the Omoku, Rivers State explosion, Prof Nwekeaku said although the activities of the youths involved in illegal refineries were unacceptable, the level of unemployment and harsh conditions of living contributed to such risky and illegal activities.