…berates killing of security agents by civilians
NOSA EGHAGHA
NIGERIA: Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has said genuine unity of Nigeria depends on correcting injustices done against the Igbo tribe of the South East and full integrating of the geopolitical zone.
He, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to be fully committed to his promise of restructuring by politically integrating Igbos through implementation of recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.
The president of the Pan Niger Delta Forum also urged the President to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a letter dated Thursday and addressed to President Tinubu, in which he called the attention of the president to serious issues affecting the unity, security and survival of the country, the former Information Minister berated incessant killings of uniformed security agents by civilian criminal elements across the country.
Chief Clark said the Igbos were politically handicapped in the past 25 years of democracy and that the South-East is the most disadvantaged geopolitical zone in Nigeria after the civil war?
He said: “One of the setbacks for the Igbos, was the continuous military rule between 1966 and 1999, where all the Military Heads of State came from the North, who had the opportunity to impose their will and desire on other parts of the country. For instance, Kano State had 44 local governments and when Jigawa State was created from it, Jigawa State was given 27 local governments while Kano State retained its 44 local governments.
“The whole of the Eastern Region made up of five (5) States has 95 Local Governments, with only 24 Local Governments more than Kano and Jigawa States in the North West region, which has seven (7) states and 186 Local Governments. The North East has 112 Local Governments, the North Central has 115 Local Governments, the South West has 137 Local Governments and the South-South has 123 Local Governments.
“Of the six (6) regions, the South-East has become the smallest region and has politically become the minority in Nigeria. You can therefore imagine that when the 36 State Governors are in Abuja for their monthly Federal Allocation, the South-East with the smallest number of local Government also receives the smallest allocation and in fact, the number of Local Governments in the North West is almost double that of the entire South-East region.”
The elder statesman went ahead to mention a few conditions the Igbos of South-East are being subjected to as if they don’t enjoy equal status with the rest of Nigerians.
He said, “the presence of five states in the south-east is a form of injustice when compared to the six states in other geopolitical zones and seven states in the North-West.
“The south east zone has been a victim of inequality, resulting in several agitations.”
He said that Nigeria must be restructured to correct what the imbalances and make every state equal in the country, stressing that, that was why the 2014 National Conference recommended the creation of more states, where the Southeast was given four additional states and three for all other zones except the North-West, which was allotted two because it already has seven states.
Urging President Tinubu to implement the report, he said if implemented, it would have made the six geopolitical zones of the country to be at par with nine states and it would have provided for each citizen a stable and united Nigeria, where all its citizens have equal right.
“It was regarded as one of the most important recommendations of the conference because it affected every zone of the federation.
“I repeat again, the immediate restructuring of Nigeria must be carried out if this country is to remain one, and I appeal to Mr President to take immediate action to implement the historic 2014 National Conference Report which submitted 600 recommendations to the Presidency on how to restructure Nigeria in every aspect of our lives.”
He, however charged the Igbos of South-East or wherever they are in Nigeria, to stand up and assert their rights legitimately, judiciously and in a democratic way to benefit like any other Nigerian as it was before the civil war of 1967.
Berating killing of soldiers and other security agents, Chief Clark said the country is seriously in danger, if security forces, particularly the soldiers are being humiliated and killed by civilians for no justification.
Clark said “it came as a shock to all Nigerians particularly my old self, when the killing of the four (4) officers and thirteen (13) soldiers in Okuama, a village along the Forcados River. It affected me because I had on that day spoken to the commander Lt. Col Ali and Major Obi about the military burial for my late younger brother, Col Bernard Clark and we agreed to speak again in the evening when they returned to Agbor that Thursday, 14th March, 2024, but unfortunately, the Colonel and Major I spoke to in the morning before their trip to Okuama never returned.
“Similar incidence has occurred in several parts of this country, here are a few; in Abia State, on 30th May 2024, Five (5) soldiers were killed. In Zamfara State, on 27th July 2023, seven (7) soldiers were killed; on 6th February 2024, two (2) soldiers were killed; on 21st April 2024, six (6) soldiers were killed. In Katsina State on 26th April 2024, one (1) army commander was killed and on the 13th of May 2024, five (5) soldiers were killed. In Niger State on 14th August 2023, three (3) officers and twenty (20) soldiers were killed while on 21st April 2024, two (2) Officers and four (4) soldiers were killed. In Yobe State, on 24th March, 2024, one (1) officer and six (6) soldiers were killed. In Kebbi State, on 10th March, 2022, eighteen (18) soldiers were killed.
“From a few samples taken by me including the following wicked and inhumane attack by civilians in various parts of the country, gives one the impression that the number of soldiers who died in the civil war in trying to keep the country together between 1967-1970 is less than the ones killed by these civilians and terrorists since the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
