HRM Eze Philip Ajomiwe, the former Chairman of the Umuahia North Traditional Rulers Council in Abia State, has expressed skepticism about the recent arrest of Finland-based pro-Biafra activist, Simon Ekpa, as a solution to the insecurity plaguing the South-East region.
The monarch, speaking with Vanguard, argued that the arrest could worsen tensions already heightened by the continued detention of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
According to him, the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu, and not the arrest of more Biafra agitators, remains the panacea to the rising tension and insecurity in the South East.
This is as the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, has urged the Federal Government to initiate constructive dialogues with community and youth leaders in the South East with a view to addressing claims of marginalization through policies promoting equitable representation.
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The monarch said: ” Arrest of Ekpa won’t solve the insecurity in the South East. I think it will rather increase it. We are talking of releasing Nnamdi Kanu but Government has not done anything about that.
“Even though Ekpa has made a lot of utterances which I don’t support, I don’t think his arrest or repatriation will bring any solution. Rather, it will worsen things.
” We don’t want killing of anybody – whether security operatives or civilians. If Government wants peace to be restored to South East, it should release Nnamdi Kanu. Arresting or repatriating Ekpa won’t help matters. When Sunday Igboho was arrested in Benin Republic, was he repatriated? They went there and settled everything. So, they should go there also and sort out things diplomatically”.
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Meanwhile, the Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a statement, said Ekpa’s arrest “has brought to the fore the pressing insecurity issues in South East”, calling for urgent actions to address all issues leading to insecurity in the zone.
“Addressing the challenges posed by figures like Simon Ekpa requires a holistic approach, targeting the socio-political issues fueling discontent. Only then can sustainable peace and security in the Southeast be achieved. Without this comprehensive strategy, the cycle of violence and the rise of new separatist movements are likely to continue”, RULAAC said.
The statement further called for the implementation of programmes to combat poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure deficits in the zone.
