From Steve Oko, Umuahia
Ohanaeze Youths Council, OYC, has given South East governors an ultimatum of 30 days to reconsider their position on regional security outfit.
South East Governors had after their meeting with the Inspector General of Police, IGP, last week in Enugu, backed out on the proposed joint regional security outfit for the zone.
The Governors rather declared support for community policing strategy of the Federal Government, a position that put them in sharp contrast with Ohanaeze Ndigbo which had proposed “Ogbunigwe” as a name for the regional outfit.
Meanwhile, OYC in a press statement by its National President, Comrade Igboayaka. O Igboayaka, rejected the position of the governors which it said amounted to betrayal of Igbo interest.
It gave the governors 30 days to reconvene and review their earlier decision to reflect the will of the people.
The press release which was signed by
Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the National President, Chukwuemeka Chimerue, rejected the position of the governors and insisted on establishing regional security architecture.
It read in part :” We, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), an apex youth body of over 30 million Igbo youths, hereby reject the decision taken by the South East governors who opted for community policing in line with the security policy of the Federal Government. For us the action of the governors was nothing an act of cowardice”.
The OYC President in the release said he had been inundated with “avalanche of calls from Ndigbo both home and abroad, rejecting the resolution of the governors”.
According to OYC, the decision of the governors was against the initial yearnings for a viable, strong and technology-driven Native regional security outfit.
The Igbo youths maintained that the governors, by their actions, “only speak for themselves”.
OYC said Ndigbo had lost total confidence on the Nigeria security agencies, having failed to secure the region from all manner of criminals.
It regretted that rather than serve the general interest of Ndigbo, the governors whom he accused of compromising, “were hellbent on implementing the decision of the Fulani cabals led by Abba Kyari whose agents were present at the meeting”.
OYC, therefore, resolved that “the Northern political mafians cannot decide for Ndigbo, just as Amotekun was a collective resolution of the Yorubas, without the interference of the powers that be.
The release hinted of the resolve and readiness of the Igbo youths to protect their people and defend their land, adding that there is no going back on the planned regional security outfit “as we will not continue to entrust our lives and properties in the hands of the Nigerian security authorities.”
OYC further urged governors of Igbo extraction to, within 30 days, commence the setting up of a regional security team that will be backed by the South East House of Assembly to guarantee the safety of Ndigbo or Ndigbo through the OYC will organize a regional security that will serve the Igbo interest.
The Igbo youths body challenged South East governors to emulate their South West counterparts who it said has spoken with one voice and placed regional interest above personal gains.
