Igbo Leaders Need To Dailogue With IPOB, Others – Anyim

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, has called on leaders in the South East to dialogue with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other separatist groups in order to address the insecurity in the region.

Naija News reports that the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) stated this on Thursday at the Economic and Security Summit in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said robust discussions with the agitators will bring about a lasting solution to the killings and kidnapping in the Southeast.

Anyim also asked political and traditional leaders in the region to state their positions clearly without politicising the same, in a bid to ensure that normalcy returns to the region.

He said: “Yet, the circumstances which led to the Nigerian civil war in 1967 appeared not to be the same with the current agitation by these separatist groups.

“This is why the leaders of the south-east should look inward by bringing the agitators closer to actually understanding their yearnings.

“The leaders should come out openly and make a strong statement in order to douse the tension rather than turning deaf ears to the activities of the agitators.

“I fear that sooner than later, the South East may lose political relevance and may no longer be favourable for any electoral exercise due to insecurity.

“This is the time to put an end to this menace and return the land to its peaceful and harmonious state.”