Return quarterly exercises to south-east to address insecurity, group begs COAS Yahaya, Nigerian Army

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement (INM) has called on the Chief of Army Staff, Major Gen Farouk Yahaya to reintroduce special operations towards curbing the escalating rate of crime and criminalities experienced in the South-East.

The group made the call on Wednesday at a press conference comprising of stakeholders from each state in the region.

In his address titled ‘The Call for Special Operations in South-East Nigeria by the Nigerian Army’, Secretary-General, JohnBosco Ike, said this is necessary to curtail the worrisome rise in insecurity in the zone by various secessionist agitations.

Ike said they can no longer watch in silence as innocent lives are truncated for selfish reasons by a group whose agenda promotes their selfish interest to the detriment of all Igbos in Nigeria.

He noted that the urgent intervention of the Nigerian Army is necessary to restore law and order.

The group recalled the impact of army operations such as Operations Crocodile Smile and Python Dance that successfully addressed security challenges such as kidnappings, ritual killings, and other criminalities in the region.

While commending troops for previous interventions, the group vowed to stage a peaceful protest to the National Assembly and the Army headquarters in the full glare of the public if the Army fail to rescue its people.

Read the full address below:

We welcome you all to this press conference with all protocols duly observed. We recognize the presence of critical stakeholders in this press conference with gratitude given the short notice.

We must agree that events in South-East Nigeria are indeed worrisome given the acts of criminality that have gained prominence in recent times. Therefore, as concerned stakeholders in the South East region, with members representing every state in the region, called this press conference to press home demand for the immediate intervention of the Nigerian Army towards curtailing the declining state of security perpetuated by some groups and individuals whose motives remain suspect and from all indications meant to distort the socio-economic development of the South East region.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement would not watch in silence as innocent lives are truncated for selfish reasons by a group whose agenda promotes their selfish interest to the detriment of all Igbos in Nigeria.

We are worried and therefore left with no option to seek the urgent intervention of the Nigerian Army in the restoration of law and order in the South East region of Nigeria. However, we have consulted widely with our members from wide and far and conclude that there is an urgent need for the intervention of the Nigerian Army through the reintroduction of special operations.

Our considered opinion is that the reintroduction of special operations as in times past would go a long way in addressing the various secessionist agitations that are being propagated by a group of opportunists who do not mean well for the South East region.

We recall the impact of army operations such as Operations Crocodile Smile and Python Dance that successfully addresses security challenges such as kidnappings, ritual killings, and other criminalities in the South East region.

We must admit that the success of the various operations cannot be overemphasized, and the relative peace and tranquillity that pervaded the South East region as a result of the intervention was indeed welcomed by critical stakeholders, including the Igbos in Nigeria Movement.

It is, therefore, on the strength of the success of previous operations that the leadership of the Igbos in Nigeria Movement is making this passionate appeal to the leadership of the Nigerian Army to see to the reintroduction of army operations in South-East Nigeria.

This is cognizant that the South East region is presently under siege. Therefore, it will be a great disservice to the peaceful and loving people of the South East region if the leadership of the Nigerian Army does not introduce once again special operations in these trying times.

The leadership of the Nigerian Army must also realize that its previous special operations had brought about peace and stability in the region, which the people of the South East region were appreciative of.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement wish to state that should the leadership of the Nigerian Army fail to act on our request in reintroducing special operations to curb the growing tension in the South East region, we shall be left with no choice but to stage a peaceful protest to the National Assembly and the Army headquarters in the full glare of the public.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement wishes to remind the leadership of the Nigerian Army that the South East region is a part of Nigeria. As such, there should be efforts at deploying strategies towards addressing the security challenges in the region by the Nigerian Army through special operations.

The leadership of the Nigerian Army cannot feign ignorance of the security challenges in the South East region. Consequently, the leadership of the Nigerian Army cannot state that it can’t make interventions towards addressing the security challenges in the region.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement, in the light of the above, stated is making this passionate plea to the leadership of the Nigerian Army to come to the rescue of the South East region by reintroducing special operations in fairness to the people of the South East region.

Our plea is hinged on the necessity to see to the restoration of peace, which would go a long way in the socio-economic well-being of the South East region. Our faith and belief in the Nigerian Army remain sacrosanct.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement is using this medium to appreciate the leadership of the Nigerian Army for its various interventions in times past that has resulted in peace and tranquillity in the South East region.

We desire that in the coming weeks and months, the leadership of the Nigerian Army shall deem it necessary and urgent to see to the reintroduction of special operations to address the security challenges in the South East region.

The Igbos in Nigeria Movement remains supportive of the operations of the Nigerian Army over the years. Consequently, our appreciation knows no bound in this regard.

At this point, we also solicit the support of other critical stakeholders to see to the materialization of this request in the interest of peace and tranquillity.

We thank you all for your time and attention.