Southeast governors, Ohanaeze proscribe IPOB activities

• Urge Federal Goverment To Withdraw Troops From South East

Governors of the Southeast and leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday night announced the proscription of activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) asking its members and all aggrieved groups in the zone to articulate their positions on all national issues and submit it to them.

They also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw military presence in the zone, assuring that they have taken concrete steps to protect lives and property of non- indigenes and indigenes in the zone.

Rising from their emergency meeting in Enugu attended by the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, General Officer Commanding the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu and National Assembly members, the governors resolved to ensure no activity of IPOB exists any longer in their various states.

Although the IPOB leadership was invited to the meeting, but did not come, Chairman of the governors’ forum and Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi said that they sent their apologies.

Other resolutions of the meeting, according to Umahi, further read: “Southeast Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members do hereby reinforce their commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria.

“We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all National issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian

“We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State must hold.

“Accordingly, we appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to please withdraw the military in the Southeast zone, while police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order.

“We are in touch with the Northern Governors Forum and they have assured us of the safety of all our people living in the north and we have also planned for an exchange of visits between the governors and to reinforce the confidence of Nigerians in this respect.

“In keeping with our earlier position, we wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing on all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in the Southeast zone with this period. The governors and the security agencies are in agreement that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found culpable.

“We advise all residents of the Southeast to go about their normal businesses as the government of each state is committed to protecting everybody. We advise our people in the Southeast to please be law-abiding”.

All the governors from the zone were in attendance except Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who was represented by his deputy, Eze Madumere.