Stop beating the drums of war - Former DIG tells Biafrans, Arewa youths
- A former DIG of police, Udom Ekpoudom, urged security agencies to arrest those who issued the quit notice to Igbos
- He chided IPOB for issuing sit-at-home orders, stating that the group had no constitutional right to do so
- Ekpoudum repeated calls for restructuring of the country, based on the principles of true federalism
Pro-Biafra agitators and northern youths issuing threats to Igbos have been warned to desist from such provocative actions by a retired deputy inspector general of police, Udom Ekpoudom.
In an interview with Vanguard, Ekpoudom stated that while it was easy to speak of violence, if they witnessed bloodletting on a large scale, such persons will run.
According to Ekpoudom, instead of issuing threats to split Nigeria, Biafra agitators should continue to draw the attention of the federal government to issues of neglect and marginalization.
The former DIG faulted the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying the order also contravened the law.
READ ALSO: Nigerians condemn Kwankwaso for rejecting alleged planned arrest of northern youths over quit notice
In his opinion, IPOB had no constitutional authority to order a section of the country to sit at home without the consent of the federal government, and he said the action “amounts to running a parallel government”.
Speaking further on the issue of the ultimatum given to Igbos by the Northern Youths Coalition, Ekpoudom urged the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure they arrest those who issued the notice.
He also urged the security agencies to exercise their constitutional mandate of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.
According to the former DIG, the order was not directed at Igbos alone but the entire south east, south south and south west residents in the north.
He stated: "It is an indirect call for division of the country which our founding fathers and nationalists suffered and died to protect.
“Those beating the drums of war have never experienced the pains of war. Most of those making inciting and hate speeches were too young or were not born when we had the Nigerian/Biafra war.
“It’s unfortunate that those people clamoring for war are being sponsored by people who don’t have value for this country or are having dual citizenship.”
Ekpoudom however insisted that Nigeria needed to be restructured based on the principles of federalism to allow ethnic nationalities manage their own resources.
He said: “This constitution came into effect on the first of January 1914. Subsequent inputs are only amendments here and there.
“We are still under colonial administration when we consider the ingredients of the existing constitution. There is need to restructure the country.”
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the British High Commission in Abuja urged the acting president Yemi Osinbajo to take proactive measure in solving the issue of northern youths' quit notice to Igbos.
Joe Abuku, the mission’s press officer, made this known through a statement in which he said that United Kingdom, without doubt, always support the rights of Nigerians to live in any parts of the country without harassment.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Yemi Osinbajo speaking about the Biafra War.
Source: Legit.ng
