The leading socio-cultural organization of the South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has criticized the region’s governors, holding them accountable for the ongoing unrest instigated by Simon Ekpa. According to Ohanaeze, the governors’ lack of firm action regarding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has empowered Ekpa, who is based in Finland, to continue imposing disruptive sit-at-home orders across the region.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze called on the South-East governors to take immediate and decisive steps by engaging the federal government to secure Kanu’s release. The organization expressed concern that the governors’ insufficient responses to security challenges have allowed individuals like Ekpa to exploit the situation, issuing threats that disrupt economic activities and disturb the peace in the region.
“Their insufficient responses to pressing security challenges have allowed ‘inconsequential’ figures, such as Simon Ekpa, to exploit their weakened stance, issuing baseless threats to disrupt economic activities and peace within the region by declaring an illegitimate lockdown from August 28 to September 26, 2024,” the statement read.
Ohanaeze further lamented the decline in the region’s leadership, contrasting it with the legacy of respected figures such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Michael Okpara, and Chief Sam Mbakwe. The statement criticized Ekpa for undermining the dignity of the region from abroad and urged the governors to reclaim control from what it described as “criminal elements.”
The organization also called on all Igbos to disregard Ekpa’s declared lockdown and emphasized that they would no longer tolerate decisions made by individuals not present in the region, which threaten the livelihoods of its people.
“We implore our governors to take decisive action toward engaging the federal government in the urgent matter of Nnamdi Kanu’s situation. Should they neglect these responsibilities, the repercussions will be dire,” the statement concluded.
