By Mandy Park
Elder statesman, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, has pleaded with aggrieved armed groups to withdraw the sit-at-home order it placed on May 5 and 6 in the South-East over the planned two-day visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ebonyi state.
Recall that Governor David Umahi on Tuesday announced that President Buhari would be in Ebonyi state for two days: working visit on Thursday and Friday.
However, there were reports on Wednesday evening that the dreaded Unknown Gunmen have declared sit-at-home all over the South-East region during the President’s visit, as they threatened to be ruthless with anyone caught disobeying the order.
Reacting to the report, Amaechi in a crucial briefing with newsmen begged those behind the sit-at-home threat, not to commit acts that would embarrass Ndigbo, and jeopardise the concerted effort being made to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
He said, “I read on social media that a militant group has issued a statement against the coming of the president to the Southeast. And I want to appeal to whosoever or group behind the statement to please withdraw that threat.
“Despite my old age plus the aching pains all over my body, I am almost in a wheelchair, yet I am highly committed to restoring peace in Igboland.
“I am on my way to Enugu, to meet the president along with some Igbo leaders about the security of our region, which is interwoven in the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are going to discuss these with him. So anything that would embarrass us or the President would make things difficult for us, and anybody who is moving against our meeting with the President is not pursuing the genuine interest of Nnamdi Kanu and the overall interest of Igbo land.
“So I appeal to them not to do anything that would embarrass Southeast because we are going to discuss the insecurity and Nnamdi Kanu’s case”.
