Another View on The Southerner Newspaper
Saturday, 16, 2025

For years now, the entire landscape of the South East region has been declared insecure, unsafe and dangerous for natives, residents and visitors. This was made largely possible by our young men under the guise of agitating for the Republic of Biafra. The activities of members of different cult and gang groups contributed in worsening the situation.

Today, in the South East region, there are different deadly groups parading freely in almost every community. They have practically altered the peaceful living and freedom of movement of citizens that was once the pride of the region.

These groups have acquired very dangerous weapons. They torment and kill. They maim, burn and destroy property. They rape, kidnap and steal. Federal Government owned Security agencies have failed to curtail them.

The security agencies deliberately avoid confronting these ‘unknown gunmen’, separatists, militias or marauders that have subjected our people to harrowing experiences.

These groups declared war on their own kinsmen with the conviction that they are dealing with the Federal Government. They have shed innocent blood of men, women, children of their brothers and sisters in the name of agitation.

They destroyed the peace, the vibrant social and economic environment of people within the zone. They restricted children from attending classes and writing external examinations thereby setting them educationally backward.

They killed clergymen in some instances. They have also manufactured untimely orphans and widows. They took away people’s means of livelihood. The question many have asked is, how can a group fighting to liberate her people still cause them so much pain and sorrow?

The business climate of the zone is in jeopardy because of the activities of these groups. They have refused to reason with anyone providing alternative views for a way forward.

In the South East region, Mondays are declared ‘stay at home.’ There’s no free movement allowed in the streets. Opening of businesses or markets is restricted and a big risk by anyone. Most Government workers do not report to work at all. Nobody or any vehicle leaves or comes into the region on such days.

Though, in Abia State, the story is a little different. The Governor, Dr. Alex Otti refused to yield. He made it possible for businesses to open on Mondays. Yet, the palpable fear still exists.

Some, perhaps because they were unaware of the illegal declaration by the groups, who dared open their businesses or ventured on the road are not alive today to tell their stories. Some are still suffering from the pains inflicted on them. Businesses got destroyed and set ablaze.

That we are pretending about the situation or we want to be identified as supporters is living in denial. The South East region is witnessing tremendous social and economic dearth. We are glossing over it and presenting a wrong narrative that, militias of other ethnic groups are the source of most insecurity cases in the zone. That from all available facts are not very correct. It is pure distortion of the realities.

No doubt, there are some non-Igbo militias in Igbo land that occasionally cause small fraction of pandemonium. But not as much as our own boys.

Our youths are more involved in the destructions of lives in our region than any other. The have killed more souls and are still counting.

In almost every community in the South East region, we have reports of youths involved in cult related clashes in communities. These boys commit all manner of crimes, endanger lives, disrupt the peace and tranquility of communities.

The rich in our society cannot live in their homes without adequate security. Others have to relocate to cities like Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Asaba.

We have all folded our hands, closed our lips and allowed some individuals and groups to be churning out wrong narratives on the ugly situation in the region.

These groups present the whole scenario like it’s hundred percent enabled by the armed herdsmen.

If we continue with this narrative, the insecurity in the SE may never abate. Not until we accept and begin the battle from home, we may never get it right.

The region is in a serious security turmoil. A situation where Mondays and some other days are shutdown socially and economically in the name of agitation and freedom for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains retrogressive and destructive for the entire zone.

Our engaging in the destruction of our economy is not the best way to draw attention of the central government to our zone. The South West used diplomacy and played politics to get Sunday (Igboho) Adeyemo out from security hold.

Other regions are benefitting from the social and economic destruction of our zone. It was the same thing we did in the 1960s that gave other regions the opportunity to overtake the East in civil service, education, etc.

It is not until we arrest the situation and champion a conducive environment for all that peace can return. An environment that guarantees the people’s right to freedom and movement without restrictions of any kind is the only way to get progress. Where we encourage and allow our brothers with divergent views participate freely in the political development of Ala Igbo should be allowed to blossom.

The unknown gunmen, IPOB militants and other militia groups can do Igbo a whole lot of good by laying down their arms to allow peace and development.

They can voluntarily help in securing the zone and people from foreign invaders.

We must remove our emotional attachment and embrace reality. We can agitate without destroying our economy. Let us not allow the death of our place and later blame other persons or groups for what our children are doing today.

We must sit down and have serious thinking and analysis of our problems and how best to resolve them before we totally lose it.

These armed groups parading in the region have added grievously to the Igbo falling apart. I shed tears when some elders support and urge them on.

We are presently viewed suspiciously by our neighbours. Igbo can only be relevant in Nigerian politics with our neighbours beside and behind us. We cannot do it alone.