The sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has made a move to end insecurity in the Southeast region through a non-kinetic approach, calling on people causing bloodshed to adopt peace.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, this was made known by its President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, during a World Conference it organised to announce the programme for the September 29 Igbo Day celebration on Saturday in Enugu State.
Iwuanyanwu, who expressed worries over the security challenges in the southeast, described the killings and bloodshed as ‘strange,’ saying that as a father, “I am tired of the death of my children and they have given me the responsibility to lead them.”
He said, “Each time I hear anybody killed, I feel sad because most of them are doing what they are doing because of hunger and unemployment.”
“I am not saying that hunger and unemployment will make one a criminal but not everyone has the capacity to endure hunger.”
Iwuanyanwu submitted that the security of every part of the country is a collective responsibility, noting that the Federal Government alone could not address it.
He declared that during the Igbo Day celebration, he would announce the non-kinetic approach to end insecurity in the zone.
“As a father, I will call and appeal to everybody to embrace peace and the non-kinetic approach requires everybody’s support both state and the federal government for us to have peace in the southeast.
“Whatever sacrifice to bring the non-kinetic approach to bring an end to bloodshed and killing in Igboland, I will do it.
“I am going to reach these people by any means to beg them or even give my life if they want it. I will surrender it to ensure peace reigns in the region,” the Igbo leader said.
The president-general promised to send a delegation to Finland and other places to beg those instigating bloodshed in the southeast.
“We are not going to arrest or kill them. I don’t want to kill any of our children; we are going to appeal to them to tell us what they want us to do.
“Those who are hungry, we will find them something to do to keep them happier but letting of bloodshed and killing should stop.
“It is not easy to stop a hungry person who has found means of getting livelihood through guns but as a father, I will go and cry to them and I am praying to God that this approach works out well,” he said.
He further said that he would also address all the political crises among the political leaders in the zone by reconciling them to move the region forward.
The Igbo Leader then urged the federal government to assist the zone with the reconstruction of railways, creating seaports and more international airports to ease their businesses.
“The issue of sharing rice as palliative does not have any meaning to any Igbo man but what you can do for him is to give him the opportunity to make a living for himself,” he said.
