Chief Goddy Uwazurike, President of the Igbo socio-cultural group, AKA Ikenga, voiced his concerns towards Operation Python Dance II saying it is ploy to declare state of emergency by the Federal Government.
The Operation Python dance II is set to commence in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, comprising of states such as Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, from September 15 to October 14, 2017.
The first phase of the Operation Python Dance held between November 27, 2016 and December 27, 2016.
During the exercise, the Nigerian Army would place emphasis on raids, cordon and search operations, anti-kidnapping drills, road blocks, check points and show of force, as well as humanitarian activities such as medical outreaches.
Uwazurike joined the apex Igbo cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in calling on the federal government to withdraw soldiers from the southeast.
On Wednesday, September 13, Uwazurike said the soldiers should be deployed to fight Boko Haram in the North-Eastern part of the country and the Middle Belt.
He said that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) do not carry weapons and are only known for holding rallies and punching the air with a black power salute.
“Today, the people of Abia State and indeed the whole of Igbo-land are being provoked by the arrogant and callous display of weaponry by the Nigerian Army in a way that sane people will rightly interpret it as the action of an army of occupation”.
“If the army is as powerful as they claim to be, why can’t they be deployed to fight Boko Haram in the northeast or even the ubiquitous herdsmen who are ravaging the Southern and Middle belt parts of the country? This is because soldiers in a battle mood must have enemies to fight”.
“It is a known fact that the Governor of Abia State has spent the last two years in court trying to retain his post. This present simulated crisis is just a ploy to impose military rule in the state just to have a war commander in the government house”.
“The people are not interested in military democracy; this government should not forget that progress can only be made in a time of peace. War is an evil wind that blows no one any good. The arrest of Nnamdi Kanu was a mistake but his re-arrest will be a disaster”.
Uwazurike now calls on prominent Nigerians to prevail on the government to learn from past governments on how to handle a civil situation.