Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has rejected calls for the South-East Governors to take over the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Kanu while responding to the call by the founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and leader Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), Ralph Uwazuruike for ESN to be handed over to the Governors described the suggestion by Uwazuruike as a trap and stupid suggestion.
It will be recalled as previously reported by Naija News that Uwazuruike had accused Kanu of inciting ethnic cleansing in the South-East zone and parts of the South-South region.
Addressing the press in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State on March 1, the MASSOB founder and leader of the Biafra Independent Movement, Ralph Uwazuruike, said Kanu, the IPOB leader whom he recruited “into the struggle” is brainwashing Igbo youths into taking arms against the Federal Government.
Uwazuruike said he will applaud Kanu if only he can repent. He also urged the South-East Governors’ Forum to take over the Eastern Security Network created by Kanu.
Responding, Kanu in a statement signed by the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, challenged Uwazuruike to create his own security outfit and hand it over to the governors.
Kanu added that ESN is created by God with the heavenly mandate to liberate the Igbos and can’t be handed over to any politician to manage.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been drawn to the shameful statement credited to the hotelier and hostel builder in our society who has been parading himself as the leader of a shameless and disgraceful group called MASSOB /BIM, Chief Ralpheal Elebeanya Uwazuruike, that God-ordained Eastern Security Network, ESN, security outfit established by our liberator Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be handed over to South East Governors to manage.
“How on earth did Uwazuruike think that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should handover the heavenly ordained ESN to the slaves installed by the Caliphate in different Government Houses in Biafraland? His intention of making such stupid suggestion is to turn ESN into another Eastern region version of the heavily politicized and now toothless security outfit formed in other regions. IPOB cannot fall for their trap!
“Uwazuruike is not ashamed of himself by trying to use ESN to cover his atrocities in Biafraland. Uwazuruike was the man who boasted that he had more boys than Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that should he unleash his boys no place would contain them.
“We, therefore, challenge Uwazuruike to form his own security outfit and hand over to the South East and South-South governors. IPOB and its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are capable of managing ESN to pursue its mandate.”
Meanwhile, the youth wing of the Ohanaeze group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has called on security operatives to arrest Sheikh Ahmad Gumi immediately.
This is as the youth wing of the Igbo socio-cultural group alleged that the popular Islamic cleric is providing support for terrorists troubling Nigeria and deserves to be arrested with them.
The OYC in its submission also condemned the statement credited to Gumi in a recent interview with BBC pidgin, where he was reported to have compared late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu with the bandits.
However, angered by the comparison, the OYC in a statement by its President-General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said Gumi should have been arrested for making such an inciting statement.
Nnabuike warned that contrary to what he claims as a negotiator and peacemaker, Gumi is one of the persons responsible for the rising insecurity in Nigeria and the boldness of the bandits and other criminals in carrying out their wicked activities.