Chibuzo Ihegboro
Elder statesman, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, has appealed to armed groups to withdraw the sit-at-home purportedly ordered on the May 5 and 6 in 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, reports made round on Wednesday evening that the dreaded Unknown Gunmen have declared sit-at-home all over South-East region during the President’s visit, and further threatened to be ruthlessly 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 threat, not to commit acts that would embarrass Ndigbo, and jeopardise the concerted effort being made to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
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He said, “I read on social media that a militant group has issued a statement against the coming of the president to the Southeast. And I want to appeal to whosoever or group behind the statement to please withdraw that threat.
“In spite of my old age plus the aching pains all over my body, I am almost in wheel chair, yet I am highly committed to restore peace in Igboland.
“I am on my way to Enugu, to meet the president along with some Igbo leaders 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 really pursuing the genuine interest of Nnamdi Kanu and the overall interest of Igbo land.
“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”.