Elder statesman, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, has appealed to armed groups to withdraw the sit-at-home purportedly ordered on May 5 and 6 in the South-East over the planned two-day visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ebonyi state.
Recall that Governor David Umahi on Tuesday announced that President Buhari would be in the Ebonyi state for two days: Thursday and Friday.
However, online reports made around on Wednesday evening disclosing that the dreaded Unknown Gunmen have declared sit-at-home all over the South-East region during the President’s visit, and further threatened to be ruthless with anyone caught disobeying the order.
Reacting to the report, Amechi in a chat with newsmen, begged the armed men behind the sit-at-home order, to withdraw their threat and avoid actions that would embarrass Ndigbo before President Buhari.
Pa Amechi further explained that the sit-at-home threat could jeopardise the concerted efforts being made by Igbo elders to find solutions to the insecurity and also secure the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He said, “I read on social media that a militant group has stated the coming of the President to the Southeast. Please I want to appeal to whosoever, or group, behind the statement to please withdraw that threat.
“Despite my old age plus the aching pains all over my body, I am almost in a wheelchair, yet I am highly committed to restoring peace in Igboland. I will meet the President along with some Igbo leaders and elders about the security of our region, which is interwoven in the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are going to discuss these with him. So anything that would embarrass us or the President. Would make things difficult for us. And anybody who is moving against our meeting with the President is not pursuing the genuine interest of Nnamdi Kanu and the overall interest of Igboland.
“So I appeal to them not to do anything that would embarrass Southeast because we are going to discuss the insecurity and Nnamdi Kanu’s case”.
