By Ibe Pascal Arogorn
To prioritise the safety of people in the southeast —Leaders in the region have failed in this crucial task, now it has cone through wrong dragons.
Operation Amotekun (Leopard) was established on 9 January 2020 by the six state governors of all the South Western states of Nigeria, namely;
Lagos State, Oyo State, Ogun State,
Ondo State, Osun State and Ekiti State.The establishment of the security outfit was subject to the decision by all the six state governors at the regional security summit held in
Ibadan , Oyo State, Nigeria on June 2019 through Development Agenda for
Western Nigeria Commission (DAWN).In support of the outfit, all the six state governors contributed 20 vehicles each, except Oyo that contributed 33 vehicles, in order to assist the operatives in carrying out their duties, making a total of 133 vehicles for the startup, they also procured 100 units of motorcycles each, making a total of 600 motorcycles.
The members of the outfit were drawn from local hunters, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Agbekoya, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and vigilante group.
Amotekun, which is a Yoruba word, is Leopard in English
The operatives of the security outfit assist police, other security agencies and traditional rulers in combating terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping and also help in settling herdsmen and farmers contentions in the region.
For the startup, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti states, recruited 1,320 operatives for the operation, while they will carry dane guns like local hunters, operating in about 52 deadly blackspots all over the southwest region.
Perhaps, Southeast leaders have not realized the bizarre terrorist herdsmen have caused to Igbos. Being in the throne of power, they always slept with their eyes closed and well secured.
On April 23, 2016. The intelligence was promptly reported to security agencies who met accordingly. However, at about 5.15 am on April 25, 2016, the armed herdsmen numbering over 500 struck killing 40 people. The following day, April 26, 2016, six more bodies were recovered and 14 victims were lying critically ill at Royal Cross Hospital, Nsukka , Nsukka District General Hospital and Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka .
During the raid, a church,known as Christ Holy Church International, (AKA Odozi-Obodo), at Onu-Eke and 11 houses were burnt by the marauders. As a result of the insecurity, displaced natives fled to neighboring communities of Nkpologu and Uvuru, (Uvuru-Agada ) even as indigenes of those communities also fled to Nsukka in fear of further attacks.
Invasion of Ukpabi-Nimbo community, known as “Enugu Massacre”, by roaming Fulani herdsmen followed
similar massacre of hundreds of natives in another farming community,
Agatu , Benue State by the same herdsmen, just a little over a month.
There was invasion of neighbouring Abbi, another Uzo Uwani community, where a brother and sister-Fidelis and Mercy Okeja were reportedly killed on the spot earlier in February 2016. 19 persons were declared missing whilst seven houses and motocycles were raised down. It was reported the invasion was carried out by 30 masked Fulani herdsmen.
It is not Surprising on how southeast leaders sabotage the efforts of efficient security in the region.
On the Nimbo attack, According to Enugu State governor,
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi , the terrorism at Nimbo may have happened due to inability of security agencies to successfully act on the counter intelligence report about herdsmen grouping at neighbouring Odolu in Kogi State in preparation for attack.
Just Imagine about this compromise by the southeast governors,They have in their responsibilities long ago.
On February 18, Indications emerged that the need to avoid confrontation with the Federal Government necessitated the dumping of the idea of establishing a joint security outfit by governors of the South-East zone.
At the height of insecurity in the zone last year, the governors who met in Enugu on July 28 had resolved to set up a regional security outfit to be co-ordinated by its joint security committee headed by Maj.-Gen. Obi Umahi (rtd).
At another meeting held in Enugu on February 9, this year, the governors had reassured on the planned joint security outfit, when they declared after the meeting that they were “satisfied with all the arrangement that will lead to South-East Houses of Assembly to enact a law to back up the security programme with a name to the outfit.”
Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, disclosed after the meeting that they had written the Federal Government on the development and that at an appropriate time, “we shall be inviting the Federal Government to note the details of our joint security programme.”
However, on February 12, exactly three days after, residents of the zone who thronged the zone’s security summit called by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, were disappointed as the governors retreated and rather endorsed and adopted the Federal Government’s community policing model.
The adoption of the community policing idea came after several hours of closed-door meeting at the Government House, Enugu, involving the IGP and the five governors, including Umahi (Ebonyi); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo), who was represented by his deputy, Placid Njoku.
Although residents were not comfortable with the community policing idea, being that it had been on in the zone for some time now, the governors were however said to have accepted the model based on the need to maintain cordiality and maintain the same stand on security matters with the Federal Government.
A source in the meeting stated that it would amount to an affront on the Federal Government should the zone insist on toeing a different security approach, adding that taking a different security measure could lend credence to the erroneous belief that the Federal Government was incapable of handling security challenges of the country.
It was further gathered that the governors were made to believe that a joint security outfit may be mismanaged and in the process create the leeway for members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to operate, hence the need to allow its regulation and control in the hands of the Nigeria Police.
Governor Umahi had told the zonal security summit that they adopted the Federal Government’s community policing model because “the content of the new community policing strategies are not different from the security measures already in place in the zone.”
Really? Southeast governors can easily bow to Aso Rock more than lives of their people.
Truly They have compromised on the issue of insecurity, not minding the negativity.
IPOB TOOK THE CHANCE
A secessionist group, The proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) who are seeking to break away from Nigeria seems to dominate the region through charisma by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. In 2015, the group and it’s intentions spread like wild fire in Nigeria and beyond when president Muhammadu Buhari jailed it leader, Kanu on charges of treasonable felony and others.
After regaining his freedom in 2017, Kanu continued to preach to his followers, making to threats to shut the country in protests and bring war to its government.
Nigerian military invaded the home of IPOB leader, Kanu after he alleged that Nigerian president has died and an impostor he called “Jubril Aminu from Susan is occupying Aso Rock.
After the attack by the Nigerian army, Kanu fled and later resurfaces in Israel. Subsequently, IPOB was proscribed as a terrorist organization.
Kanu never stopped, he continued to speak from the foreign land, insisting that president Muhammadu Buhari is dead and being replaced by Jubril from .Sudan.
Even before the proscription of the group, it’s leader Kanu failed out with southeast governors on the issue of insecurity. He accused them (Governors) of siding with Northern-led administration to slaughter Igbos.
On 13 December 2020, Crimefacts.News reported that the proscribed indigenous people of biafra (IPOB launched a security outfit called ESN.
According to Kanu, during a live Facebook post, ESN was established to defend the people of the Eastern Region from terrorists and bandits allegedly trooping in from the North.
“Unveiling the Eastern Security Network. This Is our answer to insecurity and Fulani terrorism,” Kano wrote on Facebook.
The IPOB leader, in another Facebook broadcast monitored by SaharaReporters, blamed the South East and South-South governors for the upsurge of killings by bandits and herdsmen in ‘Igboland’.
Gbosa (salute) for our leader (Kanu); it is not easy to gather an army like this,” one of them said in the video.
Kanu, in the new video which is now trending on social media, said, “We are going to announce our preparedness to defend our land of Biafra, having to wait for many years for our governors in our land, the entire South-East and South-South to do what their counterparts in Yoruba land did and even what the terrorist Meyetti Allah managed to do which our governors have failed to do till this very day.
“We have decided to take it upon ourselves to defend the land of Biafra; we are determined and resolute and we are not going to stop until we eradicate every trace of Fulani terrorism in our midst.
“For years, our mothers have not been able to go to the farms, our daughters are being raped and cut into pieces. Everybody is aware of what transpired at Nimbo, at Ozokwani, and what’s happening right now in Delta, what is happening in Ebonyi State and what’s happening in some parts of Abia. We cannot allow it to continue. This present generation of IPOB won’t tolerate it; we will rather die than to allow the ‘janjaweed’ terrorists take over our lands.
“Our invaders, we were being told, come from the Gambia, we were being told they come from Mali, some from the Niger Republic, some are from Chad according to the Governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai. Therefore, we are setting up the Eastern Security Network to combat the excesses of these vagabonds and criminals. We are going to defend our lands from the ravage of the Fulani.”
However, The chairman of the southeast governors forum, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state condemned the act saying, “Our region remains the safest, and nobody can deny this. And so, our brother said he had formed a security outfit for the southeast. It is very laughable and should be ignored. I commend the southeast governors very highly. It is only the southeast that the leaders are being criticized openly.
“The governors must protect the lives of the citizens and also the citizens of other regions living in their states that are not from the southeast.
“I want them to ignore the side distractions. They are doing a lot in the education of our people, payment of salaries, infrastructure development, and most especially the security of our people.
“No governor will come open to tell you A to Z of what he is doing about security. But I want it to be debated whether the southeast is not the safest in the country. We need to warn that our youths should desist from being engaged for the destruction of lives and property.”
He added, “Whether we like it or not, we are confronting global challenges, and Nigeria is not an exception. So, we thank God for the courage, ability, and the health God gave our president to steer the ship of our nation in a very challenging time like this.”
A RISING GUERILLA IN THE EAST
Really ? How can a security outfit which has no constitutional backing with principles and decorum operate peacefully ?
In the BBC Igbo programme on Facebook, some of those featured also said the formation of the security outfit is illegal as IPOB has no constitutional backing.
Fredrick Nwabufo, journalist and columnist, said the Eastern Security Network (ESN) set up by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) could become a militia.
During a BBC Igbo interview session on Facebook, Nwabufo likened the group to a militia whose operation could go out of hand.
“The security network can go out of control; it could become a militia,” Nwabufo said.
“Some may argue that it will be used to protect the south-east from attacks by various groups, including herdsmen, but it has the potential of being used to wage war against our people.
“So, it is not something to be endorsed. This is exactly how Boko Haram started gradually.”
His views aligned with that of Ozioma Izuora, a lawyer, who said while the security of lives is important, any measure in that regard must follow due process.
“Considering the laws of Nigeria, it is illegal because IPOB is a mere group with no constitutional backing,” she said.
“Usually, in the creation of such outfits, there is often a backing for it in the constitution. If not, who is going to check their powers? If they err tomorrow, how can you prosecute them and under which law can you do so? Whatever is good must be done well.”
Charles Oputa, Nigerian singer and activist better known as Charly Boy, however, disagreed that the formation of the security outfit is a wrong move.
He said it is high time such an outfit was formed to help secure residents in the south-east and south-south.
“Igbo sons and daughters, we must not sleep. We cannot afford to sleep because we are surrounded by the enemy. So, the security outfit is a commendable move,” Oputa said.
In 2002, The Bokoharam, the second most deadly terror sect in the world was established by Yusuf in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno, Nigeria. Although the original name of the group is Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād (often translated as “Association of the People of the Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad” or “People Committed to the Prophet’s Teaching for Propagation and Jihad”), the name Boko Haram, which means “Westernization is sacrilege,” was given to the group by neighbours based on how they viewed its lifestyle and teachings. This, in turn, was popularly interpreted as “Western education is a sin” or “Western education is forbidden.” Ideologically, Boko Haram is against Westernization, which it views as negatively impacting Islamic values. The group blames Western influences for Nigeria’s culture of corruption, which has contributed to a wide gap between the few rich and the many poor.
At this preliminary stage, The Nigerian government and leaders of the southeast region must combat and prevent this “Guerrilla rebel group in the southeast.
If not, southeast region will become like other region where terrorism has championed without a halt.
It will hit hard
IPOB which had changed from being a peaceful group is now manned with delinquent dregs, rogues and hoodlums thus it is the beginning of its manifestation as terror and militia group.
