Since formation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), South East Nigeria has remained relatively volatile. The situation was worsened by the arrest, detention and the ongoing trial of the group’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. JOSHUA EGBODO writes on the new approach being adopted by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in a bid to restore lasting peace to the region
Violent crimes
In demanding for the release of Kanu, the initial peaceful agitation for the actualisation of Biafra nation gradually turned violent. The agitation metamorphosed into armed militia activities within the IPOB. Killings were recorded, and key among such was that of Ahmed Gulak, a political ally of Governor of Imo state. Attempts were made on the life of Senator Ifeanyi Uba, who narrowly escaped, but not without casualties amongst the police personnel attached to him.
In 2021, Uzodinma escaped death by the whiskers when unknown gunmen reportedly attacked his convoy, husband of late Dora Akunyili, Chike was gruesomely murdered later the same year in Anambra state. The list of such violent crimes, mostly linked to IPOB and “unknown gunmen” continue to expand.
In what many, however, considered more as struggle for political dominance, the home of Ikenga Ugochinyere was also attacked during which his uncle was murdered, and property destroyed.
Poor results from FG’s interventions
To pundits, while the interventions, so far by the Federal Government though commendable on the papers, the practical results were seemingly poor and below expectations.
Many, including federal lawmakers from the region have cried out over the seeming militarisation of the South East, when, they said nobody is really at war, with multiple checkpoints, militating against smooth vehicular movements.
Beyond the inconveniences created by the multiple checkpoints, there were also allegations of security personnel using the checkpoints for extortion, a development that many felt was aiding more revolt against the presence of military personnel and the police.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Amobi Ogah, who at a point sponsored a motion seeking intervention over the high rate of kidnapping in his constituency, publicly accused the police of using multiple checkpoints in the troubled areas to extort money from innocent citizens, instead of combing the bushes to flush out the criminals. “I want this to be on record that the police (personnel) are doing nothing, but collecting money”.
Appeal for Kanu’s release
One of the options political leaders from the region proposed as panacea to return of peace was the release of leader of the IPOB, Mazi Kanu, who had been granted bail under several court pronouncements, after the Federal Government succeeded in arresting and repatriating him from Kenya, as a fugitive who had jumped an earlier bail.
An Ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives, set up to interface with relevant security agencies in order to reduce kidnapping, assassinations and banditry in and around Isiukwuato and Umunnochi Local Government Area of Abia State, was to call for release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as panacea for peace in the south east. “As we navigate the complexities of security concerns, we must also be prepared to tackle the root causes of these issues at their core and work to ensure lasting solutions that would stand the test of time.
“For absolute peace, reduction of crime and criminality, investment in meaningful infrastructure development, ending the unproductive sit-at-home and improving economic growth and opportunities in the Southeast, starts with the government’s recognition of the rule of law, justice, and equitable inclusion of the Southeast zone in the project Nigeria and the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from unlawful detention to ensure lasting peace and security in the entire region”, Chairman of the committee, Hon. Obinna Aguocha stated at an investigative hearing of the panel last year.
“We recognize that insecurity cannot be combated by one entity alone; it does require a collective, multi-faceted approach that encompasses various perspectives and expertise of law enforcement agencies, community leaders, policymakers, scholars, and citizens”, he said.
Sit-at-home order, worrisome economic effects
Key among its agitation strategies was IPOB’s introduction of a sit-at-home order across states of the South East, observed every Monday, even as many saw compliance to the order as fallout of coercion and fear. Gunmen, in order to ensure compliance began attacking traders and commuters who flouted the order, with many killed, and goods worth millions of naira set ablaze for being sold or transported on days the order was expected to be in force.
There have been continued lamentations over the economic losses occasioned by the sustained order since August 2021. Deputy Speaker Kalu had also repeatedly expressed pain on the huge economic losses to the South East, all in fallout of the order.
Birthing the PISE-P
The PISE-P, aside consultative engagements with critical stakeholders announced on December 23, 2023 that it would be formally unveiled at Bende in the home state of the Deputy Speaker, Kalu in an event which will double as a formal home-coming welcome by his people, since his election as deputy speaker of the 10th House of Representatives. The group at a media briefing in Abuja disclosed that the event was already billed for December 28, 2023.
Chairperson of the Media and Communications Committee of PISE-P, Mary Ikoku said the people of the region were enterprising and not known in the past for violence, stressing that the organisation borne out of the search for answers to the question of “how can we return the region to its original peaceful state?”, explaining that the Deputy Speaker, Kalu had to rally his colleagues from the region to birth the initiative in a bid to restore peace, in view of the fact that the region still remained the economic nerve of Nigeria, in which anything wrong there may highly affect the country, saying the approach would encompass channels different from what obtains at the moment.
Also, Project Coordinator of the group, Ogbona Ukuku in explaining some of the thematic approaches to achieving its objectives said “we will be using education as a tool”, adding that other areas would include agriculture in a manner that would make way for global participation of citizens of the region. He said the group would also adopt promotion of infrastructural development, the use of sports and entertainment as a uniting factor, culture and tourism which the region was hugely rich in, promotion of accountability and transparency in governance, commerce and Industry, and a possible demand for rehabilitation and integration of armed groups through disarmament.
The group further appealed for a change in the tactics of military operations in the region, through a more friendly disposition of personnel towards innocent citizens, saying doing so would help in securing intelligence that would help their activities specially.
But the alleged conflict
Few days after the the project was unveiled, there were reports that the Deputy Speaker’s move was generating tension in the South East, as the project was being viewed as an attempt to gain political dominance in the region. A national daily and some online platforms reported that the unveiling of the project created a bad blood between him and political stakeholders of the region, including governors of states in the region, and the Igbo sociocultural organisation; Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, an allegation Kalu refuted.
“It is rather unfortunate that in a move that smacks lack of patriotism and support for the pursuit of peace and tranquility of a region hitherto enmeshed in violence, a plethora of sponsored gibberish are coming up both on conventional news platforms and online medium, all aimed at casting aspersions on the person and the office of the Deputy Speaker for championing a worthy cause.
“In quick succession to the event, a national newspaper on Sunday, December 31, 2023 went on a wild goose chase, perhaps, on envy spree, publishing a heresy, more of a distillation of garbage called news, saying that the launch of PISE-P has put the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the governors of the five eastern states and the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo worldwide on a warpath”, a statement by Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker said in reaction to the alleged rift.
The statement reads further; “It also said that Kalu is on a chase with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state over who controls the South East politics in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This is to say the least, a hogwash, indeed, a fabrication of lies that passes for tales by moonlight. At best, it is the figment of the overheated imagination of the author of the report, one Johnchuks Onuanyim and his newspaper…
“To set the record straight, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kalu is not looking for a fiefdom to exert his control over. For those who know him, he is only passionate about the peace, unity, growth and development of his native region. As the a true son of Igboland, Kalu is very much concerned and greatly distressed by the security challenges that had bedevilled the south eastern geopolitical hemisphere of the country for a while now”.
It said “what is expected of any son of the soil and the occupant of an office such as his (Kalu’s) is to galvanise the people and deploy the influence of his office to finding the panacea”.
Rolled out action plan
Most recently, PISE-P rolled out a 6-month action plan, targeting job creation, increase in healthcare delivery and infrastructural development amongst others, which it said will help in implementing its eight pillars of development, namely; education; agriculture; commerce/industry; infrastructural development; culture and tourism; sports/entertainment; governance/leadership and reconciliation/rehabilitation/reintegration.
According to the media office of the Deputy Speaker, Kalu while speaking virtually on the “South East Political Roundtable”, a current affairs radio programme on FLO FM in Umuahia, Abia State recently, said that the six months strategic plan will see to the improvement of healthcare delivery amongst other developmental pursuits.
“We already have what we call our six months strategic plan, our operational plan that will be addressing socio-economic challenges, enhancing security and peace building, stakeholder engagement, strategic implementation, resource management, monitoring and evaluation, communication and awareness, all these things have been done by experts and we are looking at achieving, promoting sustainable development, those goals.
“We look at conflict integration and peace building. We are going to be looking at enhancing access to education and healthcare, we are going to look at infrastructural development, empowerment and capacity building, community engagement and participation and sustainable peace and stability. These things I am talking about are some of the things that will be happening in the next six months and there are economic performance indicators, the KPI that we will be using to measure our progress in the next six months, economic activities as it is.
“We are going to be looking at percentage increase in job opportunity created within the women, we are going to be looking at income level, those in average incomes that are in targeted communities.
“We are going to be looking at business development, number of new businesses established or supported, number of businesses we can bring back to the South East through our advocacy like I told you 15 billionaires were there. They came to watch what is happening and to say they are in support of it because they want their businesses to thrive here. We are going to be looking at healthcare accessibility which will include increase access to healthcare services and facilities. We are going to be looking at community engagement, participation in community programmes and events, there will be a lot of town hall meetings”, he was quoted to have said.
High expectations
The truth to many analysts remains that a return of peace to the region is long overdue, and the earlier that is achieved the better they said, it is in the interest of the region. It is therefore a case of high expectations as PISE-P embarks on the journey, which many have termed and described noble. How soon? How impactful? These are some of the questions the PISE-P will provide answers to in time, as pleas are on for the agitators to heed the voices of wisdom, and lay down arms.
