Ohanaeze Ndigbo has appealed to military authorities to deescalate tension in the South East.
This is as army has solicited the support of Igbo leaders in the current fight against insecurity and criminality in the region. President General of Ohanaeze, Prof. George Obiozor, made the appeal when the GOC of the 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja paid him a courtesy visit at the National Secretariat of the organisation in Enugu. He enjoined the military to be humane and compassionate in its operations in the region.
Obiozor lauded the GOC for the constant consultations with Ohanaeze on the security situation in the zone and harped on the need to create conditions and environment to reduce tension and feeling of insecurity in the zone.He informed the GOC of the various complaints by commuters on the roads in the South East over army check points and appealed to him to look into the complaints.
The GOC promised to look into the complaints including the issue of demanding that commuters come out of their vehicles and raise their hands while crossing the checkpoints.
In another forum, the GOC appealed to the people of South East to go about their lawful duties on Mondays as it was not a work free day.
Speaking when the new executive of the Correspondent Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council led by Mr. Lawrence Njoku of the Guardian Newspaper paid him a courtesy visit in his office, the army chief said the traffic gridlock experienced in Enugu and some other parts of the zone on Tuesday was fallout of the sit-at-home that took place on Monday.
“Even IPOB has come out to say they are no longer ordering the sit-at-home, people can go about their lawful businesses on Mondays. The military is saying the same thing, every responsible stakeholder including the NUJ is saying the saying the same. Mondays are not for sit-at-home, the public holidays do not cover Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays now, banks should open,” he said.
Lagbaja who promised to maintain cordial working relationship with and also support the Chapel, made case for the need to have professionals disseminate news.
Source: The Sun
