The Ebonyi State governor and chairman South East Governors’ Forum, Chief Dave Umahi said total war has been declared against the people of the zone.
He was reacting to the ongoing killings of Ndigbo by unknown gunmen.
Governor Umahi expressed regret over the killing of 12 persons in the zone in the last weeks and called for an end to the killings.
The governor stated this during the state security council meeting at the new governor’s office Abakaliki.
He accused some Ndigbo living abroad of masterminding the continuous mayhem against the people.
Governor Umahi directed the people of the zone to ignore the October 1st sit-at-home order and directed that all flags in South East must fly against the directive of IPOB.
“Ebonyi people have been so much deprived in the past, turned to house boys and house girls because of this sit-at-home and we are in a hurry to catch up with others.
“So, we are not going to be sitting down at home. And so, anybody that says sit-at-home, Ebonyi people will not sit-at-home.
“I am calling on the entire South East to understand this sit-at-home and those who are orchestrating this sit-at-home are our brothers outside this country who are paid per hour.
“If they truly mean it and they want to ask us to sit-at-home, all the south east people that outside this country should be sincere.
“Any day they want us to sit-at-home, let them also sit-at-home and see whether they will not be repatriated because they will have nothing to pay for their livelihood. So, it is all about deceit,” he said.
He noted that those who are being killed here in confrontation with security agencies are youths from the zone adding that nobody is against peaceful agitations.
Governor Umahi stated that the South East Governor’s Forum and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide condemn in totality the insecurity in the zone.
He called on those masterminding the killings and the perpetrators to put to a stop the killings pointing out that restricting the people of the zone from going about their normal business is destroying the people.
