Aliyu Wamakko, senator representing Sokoto north, has
accused Igbo leaders of not speaking up against the “recent undue harassment”
of northerners in the south-east region.
The former Sokoto governor said prior to the killing of
Ahmed Gulak, a former aide of former president Goodluck Jonathan, in Imo state,
many northerners living in the south-east region have been allegedly killed in
largely under-reported attacks.
Wamakko, who described the attacks as “a disturbing
snowballing of a little flame into a raging fire that is threatening the peace
and stability of Nigeria”, said the silence of south-east leaders is no longer
excusable.
“Through all these, as individual leaders and collectively,
we have maintained a studied silence by avoiding anything that will further
rock the boat. Rather, we have been restraining our own people who are victims
of these atrocities by preaching patience and peace,” Wammako said.
“Regrettably but curiously, our friends and compatriots,
leaders of Igbo extraction, have remained dead silent in the face of increasing
assault and effort by their own people to stock a nationwide mayhem.
“For whatever reason it is, I want to loudly call them out
to speak up. Silence is no longer acceptable in the face of this clear danger
and threat against the country. The silence by political leaders and other
prominent persons from that part of the country tells us only one thing: Their
tacit approval for the activities of the murderous IPOB gangs.”
He warned that Northern leaders may no longer be able to
douse tension among their followers, “if leaders from the south-east feel they
can allow their own people to do what they wanted.”
“There is no part of Nigeria without its own share of
discomfort and even reservations about the state of our country. Addressing
such challenges require sincere political engagement, not threats and
violence,” he added.
“Besides, quest for political answers to one’s grievances
should never be directed at hapless citizens who are going about their own
legitimate businesses. The day the victim decides to pay back the aggressor, it
will not be good for everybody.”
Recently, onion producers suspended supply to the south-east
due to the spike in attacks in the region.
IPOB has often been accused of carrying out violent attacks
in the south-east since it launched the Eastern Security Network (ESN), its
militant arm.
The killings in the region tripled after
ESN was established — although the group denies any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Nigerian security agencies are set to launch major
security operations against insurgency in the south-east.
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