The chairman of the South East Governors Forum, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, disclosed this yesterday at Nwaegu Military Cantonment in Abakaliki during the flag-off of Operation Egwu Eke 111 by the Nigerian army 82 Division.
Southeast governors have raised the alarm that members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist organisation led by Nnamdi Kanu, have threatened to kidnap them.
The chairman of the South East Governors Forum, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, disclosed this yesterday at Nwaegu Military Cantonment in Abakaliki during the flag-off of Operation Egwu Eke 111 by the Nigerian army 82 Division.
The governor said the threat was received via text message sent to his wife.
His words: “The GOC, you are coming at a time we had note from our brothers and sisters of IPOB sending text messages that there will be no elections and insulting the leaders, particularly the South-East governors.
“Just few days back they sent text message to my wife that the five governors of South-East would be kidnapped and that their security would overpower that of the governors and that after ransom are paid, they would kill them and kill themselves.
“That is laughable, as a leader in the zone, I must say that some of their complaints are genuine, but the approach is very bad, that is why the leaders of South-East are not in support of their approach.
“So, I use the opportunity to ask that other geopolitical zones have youth pressure groups but their approach is not the same.
“And so we are not against them, but their approach. And as chief security of the state, I do not welcome them, Ebonyi state is not part of Biafra, we are sovereign state, we don’t want to be colonised again, we are a state demanding better treatment in the affairs of our nation.
“I know they will attack me in social media but it doesn’t stop what we are doing,” he said.
“Just few days back, I heard of a new clash of some cult groups, the CP and director of SSS informed me and I thought that the matter is laid to rest because we had an agreement that there will be no cult clash again in Ebonyi state.
“And so I want to let them know that I will be directing Operation Egwu Eke 111 to them because they have bridged the agreement. And I know all of them one by one”, he said.
Speaking earlier, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Major General Abubakar Maikobi, said the exercise for the first time would be conducted simultaneously across the nation.
Maikobi further assured residents in Ebonyi State and the southeast including other states of army’s professionalism in the discharge of their duty during the exercise and thereafter.
He also said the military would be neutral in the forthcoming general elections.