By Andy Asemota
The southeast Caucus in the National Assembly has condemned the killings and attacks security personnel, their formations including INEC, courts, and correctional facilities in the region.
The caucus decried the attacks and killings in a statement by the leader of the region in the parliament: former Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Senators Sam Egwu, Stella Odua, among others, and their House of Representatives counterparts in the wake of the murder of erstwhile special adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.
The lawmakers of southeast extraction expressed shock at the sudden spike in violence in the region despite its peaceful disposition to visitors irrespective of tribe and religion.
“We have had cause always to deploy the instrumentalities of the institution of state to alert the government of Nigeria about some of the vexed issues of injustice, inequity, and obvious marginalization of the South East in the governance structure.
“Nonetheless, we have not lost hope that the authorities will eventually do the right thing for the continued peaceful coexistence of all people in a united Nigeria. However, we are worried over recent developments in the South East, which has thrown the zone into violence and confusion,” the caucus stated.
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They noted the increasing agitation for restructuring of Nigeria and increasing separatist agitations across the country due to perceived and real issues of marginalization just as they further cautioned that such agitations must be strictly in accordance with the laws of Nigeria and must be peaceful and devoid of violence.
While commiserating with all who had lost loved ones, friends, and colleagues in the unfortunate incidents and declaring their confidence in the country’s resilience to weather and survive the current challenges confronting it, they insisted that the attacks and killings were unacceptable and must never for whatever reason be condoned.
Their statement read in part: “We urge the Inspector General of Police to dig deep in his investigations to unravel the actual identities of these unknown gunmen determined to create a state of anarchy in the Southeast.
“The investigation has become necessary in the circumstance because of the magnitude of the attacks. More so as the region had not witnessed such in the past.
“We advise the security agencies to continue to show restraint in the discharge of its mission to restore peace in the Southeast. Security operatives must remember, at all times, that the majority of Igbos are opposed to any form of violence in furtherance of any cause.”
