Ohanaeze backs Mbah, urges police, others to take up challenge

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has again thrown its weight behind Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on his vow to end the regular sit-at-home being ordered by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

The five South-East States have been contending with the Monday sit-at-home being ordered by the Simon Ekpa controlled IPOB faction. This week, he ordered a one week sit-at-home.

But Mbah, since he was sworn-in, had declared that sit-at-home was over in Enugu State.

The Governor has also met with President Bola Tinubu, during which he appealed for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release.

However, on Wednesday, there was tension in Enugu, following reports that gunmen were moving from one area to another enforcing the sit-at-home.

The State government and the police had disowned the reports, attributing it to actions of mischief makers.

In a statement made available on Thursday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike urged the security agencies to redouble their efforts in winning the confidence of the residents.

Okwu, who said the Governor had worked his talks by providing more logistics to the police, noted that the security agencies owed a duty to ensure that hoodlums did not gain upper hand in the State.

He said, “We want to commend the Governor of Enugu State for his steadfastness towards ending the perennial sit-at-home which has done more harm than good.

“We, the Ohanaeze youths have been in the forefront demanding for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, but we have always said that sit-at-home will not bring Kanu out.

“Governor Peter Mbah showed leadership by meeting with President Tinubu over Kanu’s incarceration and we are sure the Tinubu government will give the request a positive consideration once his cabinet is formed.

“The Governor has also provided more operational vehicles for the police to aid their rapid response.

“Ohanaeze youths applaud the governor for being firm and unshaken in his ban of sit-at-home.”

Okwu expressed worry that security agencies were not living up to expectations.

“However, we are calling on the police and other security agencies to rise up to the challenge. If they were proactive, the confusion witnessed on Wednesday would not happen.

“But the security agencies were nowhere to be found at the strategic locations until news of reported attacks spread across the State. This should not be.

“Considering the high concentration of various security wings within the Enugu metropolis, their presence should have been felt in most of the strategic locations early in the morning.

“We, therefore, call on them to join hands with the Governor in his vow to secure the people of Enugu State. There is no doubt that Governor Peter Mbah is prepared, in a hurry to develop Enugu State, he should be given all the support,” Okwu stated.