The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, a prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization, has dismissed claims made by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that Governor Peter Mbah is militarizing Enugu State. In a statement issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group alleged that the deployment of security forces to end the sit-at-home order was an inappropriate and unacceptable approach that amounted to the humiliation of Enugu residents.
However, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council Worldwide, spoke out against these claims in a press conference on Friday. He stated that there have been no reported cases of intimidation or humiliation of Enugu residents by the deployed security agencies. Instead, he asserted that Governor Mbah should be commended for his efforts to enhance security in the state.
Okwu emphasized that the visible presence of security agencies at key locations in the state has significantly boosted the confidence of the residents. He pointed out that just a few weeks ago, criminal activities were rampant in Enugu, with attackers and kidnappers causing fear among the populace. However, Governor Mbah’s swift response led to the deployment of security personnel, resulting in a restoration of normalcy and increased safety for the residents.
In response to the accusation of militarization, Okwu posed critical questions, asking whether Enugu should continue to suffer from the actions of non-state actors and highlighting that the security agencies’ focus on sit-at-home enforcers should not concern IPOB since they had disowned the sit-at-home order.
Okwu further stated that the people of Enugu were appreciative of the Governor’s efforts in reinstating their confidence, which he credited with the failure of the two-week sit-at-home order declared by Simon Ekpa. He concluded by asserting that the presence of security agencies has brought comfort to the majority of Enugu residents and suggested that those uncomfortable with it might have ulterior motives.