• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • ICPC Secures Conviction of Rector for Running Unaccredited Degree Programmes

      Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • FG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development Commissions

      Trade Facilitation: Nigeria Customs, NACCIMA Strengthen Partnership

      Economic Confidential to Host 3rd Public Lecture, Unveil Books on Nigeria’s…

      Luanda Summit: AUDA-NEPAD Taps AI, Green Bonds as it Launches Marketplace…

      Tinubu Jets to Brazil After Japan Summit, Eyes Trade, Security Deals

  • National
    • Police Officer

      Police Rescue Abducted Senior Officer in Sokoto, Arrested UNILAG Lecturer Over…

      FG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development Commissions

      Nigerians to Receive Passports Within 7 Days, Says Interior Minister

      DHQ Committee Visits Theatre Command Maiduguri for Joint Defence Doctrine Review

      Armed officers of the Mining Marshals

      ‎NSCDC at the Heart of Nigeria’s Mining Sector Revival ‎By Zekeri…

    • Government
      • Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUK

        Almajiri

        TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By…

        PRNigeria logo fearured image

        OHCSF Celebrates 57 Retirees for Exemplary Service and Dedication

        FG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development Commissions

        Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

        FG Unveils 8.3 Petabyte Data Centre to Power Digital Identity, Immigration…

  • Security
    • Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

      CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace,…

      Officers of NSCDC Mining Marshals

      Alake Orders Mining Marshals to Seal Illegal Gold Mining Site in…

      Police Officer

      Police Rescue Abducted Senior Officer in Sokoto, Arrested UNILAG Lecturer Over…

      Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar NAF Chief

      NAF Reaffirms Commitment to Civilian Protection, International Humanitarian Law

      Troops Repel Bandit Attack on Military Base, Eliminate Scores in Niger

  • Features
    • Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

      CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace,…

      Almajiri

      TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By…

      Armed officers of the Mining Marshals

      ‎NSCDC at the Heart of Nigeria’s Mining Sector Revival ‎By Zekeri…

      Nigerian Youths

      National Unity as Nigeria’s Strongest Development Tool, By Mukhtar Ya’u…

      How Security Forces Calmed, Secured, and Evacuated Passengers after Kaduna-Abuja Train…

  • State
    • Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUK

      Almajiri

      TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By…

      Officers of NSCDC Mining Marshals

      Alake Orders Mining Marshals to Seal Illegal Gold Mining Site in…

      Police Officer

      Police Rescue Abducted Senior Officer in Sokoto, Arrested UNILAG Lecturer Over…

      Troops Repel Bandit Attack on Military Base, Eliminate Scores in Niger

  • Event
    • The authors and their books

      PHOTOS: NIPR Hails Latest PRNigeria Books at Economic Confidential Lecture

      Alh. Yushau Shuaib, Brig Gen. (rtd) Chris Olukolade and Mallam Kashifu Inuwa

      NITDA, IMPR Spotlight AI as Driver of Nigeria’s Digital Future at…

      DICON and DMG Events to Co-Host AFRIDEX 2026

      DICON, DMG Events to Co-Host Africa Defence Exhibition 2026

      Economic Confidential to Host 3rd Public Lecture, Unveil Books on Nigeria’s…

      President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

      His Death is a National Loss, Tinubu Mourns Emir of Zuru

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Features Insecurity in South East: Time for Igbo Youths to Synergize with Military...
  • Features

Insecurity in South East: Time for Igbo Youths to Synergize with Military to Restore Glory

By
Jude Ede-attah
-
October 16, 2021
Ajali Police Station Anambra after attack by IPOB Member September 30, 2021
Ajali Police Station Anambra after attack by IPOB Member September 30, 2021

Insecurity in South East: Time for Igbo Youths to Synergize with Military to Restore Glory

By Jude Ede-Attah

The South Eastern region is bleeding and bleeding profusely. Peace and security are eluding the land and like William Butler Yeats wrote in his 1919 classic poem, The Second Coming, “The falcon cannot hear the falconer…mere anarchy is loosed upon the land”. All the demons in hell have been let loose in the once touted ‘safest region of the country’.

And the demons are indeed in an overdrive, wreaking havoc of immense proportion across the land of the rising sun. From Onitsha to Owerri, up in Nsukka and down at Izombe, the sordid story of brigandage and savagery reverberates, sending chills down the spine of a traumatized people held hostage by circumstances that cannot be said to be beyond their own control.

Whoever imagined that time will come when Igbos will behead each other in broad daylight, spike the severed heads and play football with it? Whoever thought that it is possible that Ndigbo who are acclaimed for their respect for personal hard work and toil would willfully set ablaze the hard-earned goods and property of any of their own for no discernible reason and beat their chest about it? Who would have imagined that felons will rule the streets of Igboland who will open fire on innocent people and folks will scratch their heads and move on? Whoever thought that Alaigbo will be another theatre of macabre dance of horror and bloodbath just 50 years after the civil war that claimed over three million lives?

The truth of the matter is that these tales of anguish and unimaginable calamities that rent the air of late are the ignoble reminders of consequences of unbridled indiscretion of a few rascals. It is also the result of unmitigated complacency and poor leadership quality on the part of political actors in the region. What we are witnessing in the south east is the unfortunate situation where a few rascals with messianic pretensions took advantage of the ineptitude and fraudulence of political leaders. Nature abhors vacuum and I’m persuaded that if the leaders – political, traditional and even religious – are living up to their bidding and providing quality leadership, it would not have been possible for any group to spring up and suffuse the entire atmosphere with unbridled violent rhetoric and hate speeches, and anybody would listen to them. That is a topic for another day but it is very important that we begin to lay bare the root of all these crises.

In any case, what is even more important now is how to get the beleaguered region out of the dire situation it finds itself at the moment. You would want to ask, how on earth are Igbo youths known for their fortitude and industry not in the fore-front of finding solution to the crisis rocking the region today? How can all these horrible things be going down in the South East and the youths are strutting around, tail in between the legs, as if nothing, not even their future, is at stake?

Are Igbo youths not done listening to any group steeped in violent rhetoric? For how long will such groups that brought nothing other blood, death and sorrow continue to hold sway in Igbo land and to what end? Shouldn’t the youths insist that that they are no longer interested in the violent disposition of any group or persons and demand that such groups go back to their original non-violent agitations?

Read Also:

  • Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUK
  • CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace, Not Just War’
  • TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

I am not laying the entire blame of the widespread violence in the South East on any group or persons but the following Igbo folktale can help us situate the whole issue: Mbe the Tortoise in a fit of anger, threatened openly and to the hearing of everyone that he will trample his pregnant neighbor to death if there was any stampede. Alas, there was a stampede and it was discovered that the pregnant woman had been trampled to death. Well, everyone heard Mbe when he was threatening the neighbor and they wasted no time in holding him responsible. It is possible that Mbe was not culpable and it is also possible that someone who heard him threatening the pregnant neighbor, used that as an alibi to commit crime but he was held responsible on account of his open threats.

We know those who have been threatening fire and brimstone in the south east and it is easy to hold them directly or vicariously liable for the bloodbath in the region. The only way they can convince the world of their innocence is by actively collaborating with security forces to flush out the so-called Unknown Gun men who have turned our homeland into the theatre of violence and bloodbath. We also know what our politicians are capable of. It is well within their bags of mischief to cash in on the tensed atmosphere created by arrest and deportation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader, to unleash mayhem against their perceived political opponents. Noting is ruled out.

What is of utmost important now is for Igbo youths to begin to must insist on getting back their region and securing their future. They must synergize with the security forces, especially the Nigerian military, to bring the horrible security situation under control. Now is the time to restore the glory of the South East by bringing back law and order, peace and security to the region, and the youths must play active role in this. Without mincing words, the military stands a better stead to deal with the situation considering that the challenge as it is now, is well beyond the capacity of the Nigerian Police to handle.

The good thing is, as we write, the Nigerian Army has commenced what they call Exercise Golden Dawn in the South East. While flagging-off the Exercise along with two others that will take care of South-South and South west regions, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, stated that it would seek to confront the multifaceted and contemporary security challenges prevalent in the region. He noted that the Exercises were aimed to restore law and order in the affected regions as well as create enabling environment for socio-economic environment activities to thrive.

Isn’t this what we needed most in the south east at this time? A situation where the ubiquitous Unknown Gunmen go around to kill anyone they adjudged disobeying their sit-at-home order across the region is totally unacceptable and very provocative. The citizenry, especially the youths must provide the soldiers needed support to be able stop the anarchists on their track.

More importantly, the Army Chief charged officers and soldiers who are participating in the Exercise to remain professional, steadfast and diligent in the discharge of their responsibilities in consonance with the objectives of the Exercises. He further urged troops to ensure respect and protection of the Fundamental Human Rights of the populace in conformity with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic pf Nigeria as they discharge their responsibilities. This critical and I’m happy it is coming from the Army Chief himself. On no account must the troops engage in any untoward activities while carrying out this Exercise. They must bring their best foot forward by ensuring that no innocent citizen receive the short end of their stick. Professionalism must be their watch word.

The COAS also enjoined the citizenry to be law abiding and corporate with security agencies in order to restore law and order in the region. This is a clarion call to the traumatized folks to appreciate the efforts of the troops by supporting them and cooperating with them. Providing the military accurate and timely information will help them to quickly bring the odious activities of the so-called Unknown Gunmen to end in Alaigbo.

It is my candid opinion that we should give the military the benefit of the doubt this time around in order to bring back the much needed peace and security in our region.

Ede-Attah wrote from Abuja.

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Igbo Youths
  • Insecurity
  • Military
  • south-east
Previous articleNigerian Military and Lifting Fallen Heroes’ Widows
Next articleHow 16 Army Generals Were Unjustly Eased out of Service, Despite Malami’s Interventions
Jude Ede-attah
Jude Ede-attah
Xing

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace, Not Just War’

Almajiri

TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

Nigerians to Receive Passports Within 7 Days, Says Interior Minister

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG Unveils 8.3 Petabyte Data Centre to Power Digital Identity, Immigration Systems

DHQ Committee Visits Theatre Command Maiduguri for Joint Defence Doctrine Review

Armed officers of the Mining Marshals

‎NSCDC at the Heart of Nigeria’s Mining Sector Revival ‎By Zekeri Idakwo Laruba

The authors and their books

PHOTOS: NIPR Hails Latest PRNigeria Books at Economic Confidential Lecture

Nigerian Youths

National Unity as Nigeria’s Strongest Development Tool, By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

How Security Forces Calmed, Secured, and Evacuated Passengers after Kaduna-Abuja Train Derailment By Samuel Aruwan

BREAKING: Immigration Announces Upward Review for Passport Fees to N100,000, N200,000

Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa CDS

Nigeria Wins Hosting Rights for International Defence Expo 2026

Group photograph of VP Kashim Shettima, CDS General Musa, Minister Bello Matewale and Africa Chief of Defence Staff.

Africa’s Defence Chiefs Champion AI, Youth Empowerment in War on Extremism

Recent Posts

  • Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUK
  • CDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace, Not Just War’
  • TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum’s House By Lawal Dahiru Mamman
  • OHCSF Celebrates 57 Retirees for Exemplary Service and Dedication
  • Alake Orders Mining Marshals to Seal Illegal Gold Mining Site in Gwagwalada
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Pantami Foundation Pays Outstanding Fees for Gombe Students at BUKCDS Musa Launches Operation Enduring Peace, Tasks Troops to ‘Win Peace, Not Just War’TRAVELOGUE: Kaduna Almajiris and A Parley Inside Arewa Forum's House By Lawal Dahiru MammanOHCSF Celebrates 57 Retirees for Exemplary Service and DedicationAlake Orders Mining Marshals to Seal Illegal Gold Mining Site in GwagwaladaPolice Rescue Abducted Senior Officer in Sokoto, Arrested UNILAG Lecturer Over Rape AllegationFG Inaugurates Boards, Management Teams of Three Regional Development CommissionsNAF Reaffirms Commitment to Civilian Protection, International Humanitarian LawTroops Repel Bandit Attack on Military Base, Eliminate Scores in NigerJoint Security Forces Raid Anambra Secessionist Camp, Free Kidnap Victim, Neutralise FourUN Deputy Sec.-Gen. Applauds DEPOWA’s Women Empowerment Drive Nigerians to Receive Passports Within 7 Days, Says Interior MinisterFG Unveils 8.3 Petabyte Data Centre to Power Digital Identity, Immigration SystemsDHQ Committee Visits Theatre Command Maiduguri for Joint Defence Doctrine Review‎NSCDC at the Heart of Nigeria’s Mining Sector Revival ‎By Zekeri Idakwo Laruba
X whatsapp