The governors and leaders of the Southeast zone of Nigeria will on Tuesday gather at the Government House, Enugu, for an emergency meeting over the high rate of insecurity in the zone.
The increasing rate of insecurity in the area has caused several deaths, including the last week’s killing of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of late information minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili in Anambra State.
A memo sent by the Ebonyi State Governor and chairman of Southeast Governors Forum, David Umahi, stated that the leaders would in the meeting reach some decisions to “salvage our region that is presently battling with the high rate of insecurity”.
Governor Umahi stressed that the meeting would be attended by governors of the five states of the zone, Ohanaeze leaders and heads of religious and traditional institutions.
Umahi begged his colleagues in the zone to endeavour to be present and not to send representatives.
He wrote: “Your Excellencies and our highly esteemed leaders, in consultation with our Governors and President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, where a decision for an urgent meeting to be called was reached, may I, therefore, invite you for an emergency meeting of Southeast Governors, some leaders of Ohaneze, some of our political leaders, some of our religious leaders and some of our traditional leaders.
“Our Leaders begged that I request all Governors of Southeast to be present at the time and not on representative capacity so that together we should reach some decisions to salvage our region that is presently battling with the high rate of insecurity.
“May I, therefore, request that you please endeavour to attend this meeting for the sake of Ndigbo”.
Giving an insight into the agenda of the meeting, an insider said: “As you can see, it is very obvious that the governors have received all manner of insults for not being firm and sincere in the establishment of their so-called Ebubeagu.
“You will agree with me that this vacuum they created led to the formation of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) by IPOB.
“If you check around the states, the people have accepted ESN because there is no alternative to that.
“When we talk about the renewed insecurity in the Southeast, anybody who wants to tell himself the truth will tell you that since the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, and the Governors playing selfish politics with it, we have been having sit-at-home which has caused several deaths and arson.
“I think the governors will have to put an end to this and that is by discussing his arrest and giving assurance that he would be released.
“They are not happy that they only enjoy three working days in a week with no end in sight for the sit-at-home.”
