The Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of South-East Governors Forum, Dave Umahi has warned against politicising the issue of security in the geopolitical zone and Nigeria in general.
Umahi said this while warning against the circulation of a “fake” video purportedly showing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) killing Fulanis, Sahara Reporters reported.
The online news publication reported that Umahi stated this on Monday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.
The governor lamented that the forests of states in the South-East were presently populated by “kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, all sorts of criminals”.
Umahi noted that a recent order for those inhabiting the forests in the geopolitical zone to vacate was for their own safety.
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“Dissemination of fake videos alleging the killing of Fulanis by IPOB in the South-East should stop.
“What our people must know is that security is not political. What is demanded of the leaders is to put up programs that favour the people and foster national unity.
“In our forests today, we have kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, all sorts of criminals. Anybody staying in the forest is taking a risk. When we say that people should move out of the forests, it is for their safety and security.
“So, I support that kidnappers, herdsmen, cultists, and bandits should be flushed out of our forests.
“Also, governors of the South East have been calling on our leaders to speak out on the security of the zone and unity of Nigeria.
“I read on paper where someone said he was giving governors of the South East seven days to ban open grazing. The South-East governors had banned open grazing and movement of cows by foot into the South East, in each of the South-East states.
“So, we are managing ourselves well; what we discussed with the herdsmen is that the system has been in place for a long time.
“We live in a dangerous time, without patriotism to our nation Nigeria, it is tough to have a peaceful time,” Umahi stated.