7 days after... Uzodimma still in Abuja! @newsechonigeria @newsechonigeria @newsechonigeria ...Strong voice echoes the truth ISSN: 2736-0512 FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 VOL. 2 NO. 51 N150 Abaribe car pets Buhar i on worsening secur ity crisis Pg. 13 Uzodimma As insecur ity ravages South East: Pg. 4 Where is Ebubeagu? Failure to remove Uzodimma ‘ll collapse Nigeria Pg. 10 Mbaka should be ignored – Activist – Prophet Ekw onna Pg. 3 Wike bemoans Niger ia’s collapse under APC misrule Pg. 12 Aba residents Identical Moghalu joins twins Anambra lament cultism sharing same governorship menace Pg. 16 Pg. 11 boyfriend race Pg. 12 Friday, April 30, 2021 Insecurity in South East: EDITORIAL Whither Ebubeagu? Publisher Larry Kingsley he challenges of insecurity enabling laws, patrol vans, Executive Editor in the South East and recruited employees, structures Jennifer John TNigeria at large is and other operational modalities. Managing Editor something that needs to be dealt a It was only yesterday that the Ori Martins resounding blow to restore some six boys were unveiled in Editor stability and not what should be Abakaliki by Gov Umahi Afam Echi politicized in any manner. It It was once reported that same News Editor would appear that the South East Umahi was quoted as claiming to Chigozie Uzosike governors had treated the issue of have in one situation dispatched Production Editor insecurity with levity prompting Ebubeagu team to quell a troubled Anthony Ogbekile the Independent People of Biafra spot. This becomes difficult to Correspondents (IPOB) to launch their Eastern reconcile in the light of Dan Maduagwu Okey (Umuahia) Security Network (ESN) at a time discordant tunes issuing from the Uchenna Ezeadigwe (Awka) Karen James (Nnewi) it mattered most. governors. Ovat Mike (Onitsha) At the time herders had ran rings Since after the pronouncement, Nonye Udumiri (Aba) round our settlements killing and the Igbo nation has been on the David Eze (Abakaliki) Chuma Austin (Enugu) raping our mothers in their farms boil with violence enveloping Olise Nwagbogwu (Asaba) while our governors seemed to everywhere on daily basis. Life is Chukwudi Chidiebere (Port Harcourt) look the other way with no now hanging on a balance, quite Senior Reporter response beyond uninspiring insecure and the once most Uzoma Ogoke verbal expression. This is unlike peaceful region in Nigeria Reporter the Benue governor Ortom who according to United Nations Ikenna Orioha speaks fearlessly truth to power in rating is now competing for Chinyere Nwaneri Glory Ugochukwu defense of his people over similar violence in the dreaded northern experience. region. Contributors/Columnists Dr. Sir Amos Agwamba When it became apparent that News Echo is alarmed at the Dr. Chuks Osuji the ESN had stolen the show situation and demands more Justina Nkechi drawing applause, and with explanation to assuage the feeling Ogechi Erondu unconfirmed reports pointing of the agitated and aggrieved Igbo Production fingers at them that they are who are not sure of the next Ifeanyi Raymond Alex Nnamdi Chukwu behind the attacks on security moment. This is the moment the installations in the South East Ebubeagu needs to hit the road ADMINISTRATION General Manager which they have since denied, the running. The governors should James Kalu South East governors woke up walk their talk. The people are Operations Manager with their Ebubeagu watching. They cannot shirk their Patricia Nwoye Since its announcement in responsibility at this critical Owerri South Easterners from moment. Igbo need to live in one Web Administrator Bismark Ibegbulam feelers appear not interested in piece the venture with many asking The Igbo ethnic group by nature Circulation Team Mr. Aloyius Ogboka them to adopt the ESN and make is peaceful and never in Nigeria Ignatius Ogechi Ajoku some modifications because there have they been charged with Tasie Chidiebere is very strong suspicion that there invoking violence against their Legal Adviser might be a conflict. Besides it will hosts. Today no part of Igbo land H. O. Ogbusu amount to a duplication of is secure arising from the actions resources. Many still view the and inactions of the governor. pronouncement as a political We urge the people to remain response to save face from the calm and plead with the governors embarrassing situation to expedite action in retrieving confronting them as the chief the region from the ruin it is security officers of their trapped in. Posterity will never respective states. judge them fairly for collapsing So far from observations it looks the region for failure to do the that the governors were ill needful even if extricating prepared before making the themselves from their northern pronouncement which showed no oligarchs. evidence of their insignia, Friday, April 30, 2021 Page 5 Vox Pop Do you think the killing of ESN Commander , Ikonso is the best strategy to remedy the secur ity crisis in South East zone or do y ou think it will w orsen it? By Uzoma Ogoke with contributionsom fr David Uka, Dan Maduagwu, Uchenna Ezeadigwe and ChumaAustin n recent times the South East zone of Nigeria has witnessed a high level of security breaches as never witnessed in its history. Imo state the once renowned most peaceful state in Nigeria is at the centre of the debacle, witnessing highest level of the carnage on security personnel, their facilities and other public Ifacilities.While security agencies have not officially unraveled those behind the dastardly acts, accusing fingers have been pointing in different directions. While Police and other security source point accusing fingers on men of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), security arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma and other leaders of the zone have maintained that the attackers are being sponsored by opposition politicians to destabilize his (their) government(s).Meanwhile, in the early hours of Saturday, April 24, 2021, a joint security taskforce made up of men of the Nigerian military forces, Police and Department of State Security (DSS), allegedly swooped on the commander of the ESN, Don Ikonso at his country home, Awo Omamma in Oru East LGA of Imo State and killed him after an alleged gun duel.The action has since sparked off a heated debate from those who are for and those against the action, with some claiming the killing of the commander will bring parmanent solution to the security crisis in the state and South East at large, while others see it as a rash action that will only escalate the crisis. News Echo, the mouthpiece of the south East went into town to sample opinions of Igbos/Nigerians across the South East zone on the debate. Below are the excerpts of their responses: Chief Kalu Frank; A businessman and Politician, a Emma C. UDEH, civil servant, Awka. native of Enugu state but leaving in Ebonyi State. The killing of ESN Commander, Ikonso is Precisely, Y junction, Azugwu Abakaliki Ebonyi state: totally not the best strategy to remedy the They are only aggravating the already difficult security crisis in South East zone. Reason, situation. All the heads of such outlawed groups killed by this will lead to more anarchy and chaos. America were not inside U.S. soil. And they don't care IPOB are freedom fighters and you don't about the consequences, hence it is not going to be felt in expect people fighting for their freedom to their country. For example, the death of Gaddafi turned keep mum over certain issues. Lybia into a volatile state and likewise Saddam Husein in Report has it that he refused to head Iraq. But then, it is these countries that suffered it. Killing Ebubeagu as demanded from Imo state Ikonso cannot quell the activities of the ESN, instead it government. How can that lead to his sudden will turn this place into a volatile zone. One might suggest killing, it is a totally condemnable action from that Gaddafi and Saddam were heads of state, then the security operatives. Now, nobody knows the former leader of Boko Haram, Muhammad Yusuf whose next plan of action. killing by the Nigeria Army during late President The security challenges are rooted in Yaradua, escalated the activities of the group in the economics and politics, until these two North, was not a head of state. Yet today Boko Haram organization has increased their dimension are objectively addressed, activities in the North. And since after Ikonso's killing, what have we got? Burning of Ebubeagu would only be a palliative measure. Uzodimma's house and vehicles. Burning of federal High Court in Abakaliki. Our government should change its military approach to these fragile security issues, before they throw the whole country into turmoil. Diplomacy and negotiations might work better Mr Eke Ikechukwu, from Enugu, than use of force. 23 Okpara Avenue Enugu. A businessman Chinanu Ndumele, a political scientist. The gruesome murder of Ikonso Eze Ogbulafor street, Umuahia. The killing of Ikonso without trial shows and the deployment of soldiers to the that leaders have not learnt any lesson from South East would only aggravate the the past. Adaka Boro of Niger Delta and situation. There has already been Mohammed Yusuf of Boko Haram were enough bloodshed in this country. The silenced by the authorities but those careless cloud over us is dark, at a time like this, strategies did not end the problem. So, instead we as a nation ought to be mourning of killing Ikonso, they should have either and resorting to peaceful approaches engaged him in dialogue or at most, charge in seeking peace and unity. him to Court to defend himself. I earlier warned before 2015 that Goodluck was a better manager of Nigeria's security system but people did not listen.