•Backs VP’s non-kinetic solution, wants it extended to Kanu
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has backed the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on his position that military action alone cannot solve the security problems in the North East.
President General of the group, Goodluck Ibem, in a statement in Owerri, yesterday, said the VP’s poasition is applicable to the security situation in the South East and noted that leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who is being held by the Department of State Service (DSS) in spite of court orders, can get same treatment to calm security challenges in the zone.
“By all standards, it is an open knowledge that the detention of Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody is unlawful and an illegality which we expect President Bola Tinubu to do the needful by unconditionally releasing him as ordered by the court.
“The statement by Vice President Shettima that military might cannot solve crisis in North East but using non-kinetic solution, addressing grievances and social exclusion will end crisis is a confirmation that insecurity in South East is caused as a result of the disobedience to court order directing the release of Nnamdi Kanu and the marginalisation of the South East in the scheme of things in the nation.
“Shettima’s statement has provided the lee-way to what should be done to stop the sit- at-home and insecurity ravaging the South East.
“What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Since Shettima has come up with a workable approach towards solving insecurity in North East, we demand that the same approach be adopted to solve the security challenge in the South East region.
“Militarisation of the South East under the guise of stopping sit-st-home or insecurity when the Federal Government knows what to do by obeying the Court of Appeal judgement releasing Nnamdi Kanu is a sinister motive to exterminate Igbo youths for voting for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate. Mr. Peter Obi in the last election.
“It is an open knowledge that President Tinubu has started clamping down on those that did not vote or support his presidential ambition and South East is on top on his list.
“If President Tinubu decides to disregard the Court of Appeal judgement releasing Nnamdi Kanu from detention which will bring peace and security in the region and decides to unleash the military on the region, it then means he is on a vendetta mission on the people of South East for voting for Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
“Unless we want to engage in an endless war of attrition, there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the South East. There has to be a non-kinetic solution to insecurity in the South East as recommended by Vice President Kashim shettima for the resolution of crisis in the North East.
“We, therefore, call on President Tinubu to obey the Court of Appeal judgement that directed the release of Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody because adherence to the rule of law is panacea to peace, harmony and security in the nation,” Ibem stated.