Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called
on the Federal Government to direct the military to call off its military
operation in the South-East immediately.
He said that the presence
of the military through an operation known as Python Dance 11, was an invasion
of the region and aimed at intimidating the people.
Ohanaeze stated this in a
statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja and signed by its President General, Chief
John Nwodo.
The Chief of Training and
Operations of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. D. D. Ahmadu, had on Friday,
announced the setting up of the operation.
He said that Operation
Python Dance II was going to take place in the five South Eastern States to
address “assassinations, attack on security personnel, theft of weapons,
violent agitations, armed banditry and kidnapping”.
But Nwodo disagreed, saying
Nigeria at this moment did not need such deliberate escalation of tensions and
crisis.
Nwodo said that rather than
resort to the use of brute force in resolution of an issue of self
determination, there were more civilised and established practices to resolve
our democratic and security challenges.
He said that if the
presence of the military which he alleged amounted to an act of intimidation
was not discontinued immediately, he would be left with no alternative than to
conclude that this is a containment policy aimed at the South-East.
He said it is to intimidate
our people from freely expressing their anger and angst at their
marginalisation and treatment as second class citizens.
Nwodo said, “In a
democracy, the level of disenchantment expressed by the people of the
South-East of Nigeria ought to have provoked a serious dialogue between our
people and the Federal Executive and the Legislature.
“History teaches us that
the continuous use of force to silence dissent and free speech will only
accelerate the growth of dissent and dissatisfaction.
“Fundamental Rights of
freedom of expression are critical for a successful democracy.”
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