The Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, David Umahi, said the Igbo people are in support of flushing out herdsmen, cultist, bandits and rapists from the forests.
He has warned against the use of fake messages, essentially video, to instigate a crisis between the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the herdsmen.
He further enjoined leaders in the zone to exhibit patriotism in their conduct so as to guarantee the unity of the Country.
The governor made this known during an APC stakeholders meeting held on Monday at the Christian Ecumenical Centre Abakaliki.
“Dissemination of fake videos alleging 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 favours the people and foster national unity”
“In our forests today, we have the 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 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 South East 7-days to ban open grazing, the Governors of southeast had banned open grazing and movement of cows by foot into South East, in each of States of the South East.
“So we are managing ourselves well, what we discuss with the herdsmen is the system in place for a long time.
“We are living in a dangerous time, without patriotism to our nation Nigeria, it is very difficult to have a peaceful time”, he explained.
Highlights of the meeting were the adoption of Local Government Area nominees for Federal Board appointments and empowerment among others.