Tag: Dave Umahi

VIDEO: My People Say They Have No Land For Ranching – Umahi

 

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, says his people have no land to give out for cattle ranching.

Governor Umahi stated this on Monday evening while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’.

Umahi said each state in the South-East already has laws banning open grazing and as such, it is way off as he is a servant to his people.

“This is not about the governors, it is about the people, so, whatever position the people take in this regard, that is what will happen. There is no land in this regard that is not owned by individuals, corporate bodies.

“So, this is beyond governors and that is the truth. People calling governors are making a very grievous mistake. Even if I say as a governor in South-East, I want people from this village, I want you to donate this land, the question is: will they allow it?

“I have heard about three communal crisis in my state, and it is all about land. There is a place that I am building a medical university and the people of that village, for a project that is almost completed, went and brought it down. They prefer to have their farms than a medical college. So, the land is a different ball game altogether,” Umahi stated when asked whether he would provide land for ranching as a governor.

READ ALSO: Herders’ Threat: What Is Going On In Nigeria Is Unconstitutional, Clark Tells Buhari

A file photo of Ebonyi Sate Governor, Dave Umahi. Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television
A file photo of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi. Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television

 

Speaking further Umahi noted that his people have “said they have no land for ranching. They put me where I am. If I have one acre of land and I am talking about giving land for ranching, I should be talking about that particular land. I can’t be talking about somebody’s land. Yes, constitutionally, I have control over the land but you have to kill all the people to get the land.”

Earlier in the year, Southern Governors banned open grazing of cattle across states in the region and urged the President to address Nigerians on the state of the nation.

The governors also called for the restructuring of the country to address increasing agitations in different parts of the nation, while restating their commitment to the unity of the country.

In reaction to the ban, the presidency said the governors failed to provide any solution to the lingering crisis between farmers and herders in the country.

Seeking to profer the needed solution, President Muhammadu Buhari in a recent interview stated that the government will return to a practice in which herders will ply designated grazing routes across the country.

The President said the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has been asked to begin the process to see how these routes can be legally put back to use, a directive which has not gone down with many Nigerians, with some claiming that the insistence on open grazing points to a hidden agenda.

Insecurity Is A Result Of The Failure Of Past Leaders – Umahi

A file photo of Ebonyi Sate Governor, Dave Umahi. Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television
A file photo of Ebonyi Sate Governor, Dave Umahi. Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television

 

Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi on Thursday said the present insecurity in the country is a result of the failure of past leaders who failed to address the future of young people.

The Governor made the comment while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

According to Umahi, it is not proper to blame the present administration for the heightened insecurity in the country as the reasons are systematic.

READ ALSO: Reps Ask FG To Suspend 2021 Census Over Insecurity

However, he posited that consultations and sincerity are some of the approaches that can be employed to secure the nation.

“When people talk about the recent insecurity in our country, I keep saying that the insecurity did not just develop overnight,” he said.

 

“It has been a result of the failure of our past leaders to address the future of our youths. And this is the truth. So it’s not a question of blaming Mr President or blaming Governors or blaming APC or PDP; it is systematic and it has been there for a very long time.

“I think that we must deploy sincerity in our approach; we must deploy consultation, wisdom and prayers. If all these are put together, I am sure that the insecurity in the country will be a thing of the past.”

Nigeria is battling several security challenges, including but not limited to an insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, secessionist agitations in the South-East and Farmer-Herdsmen crises across the Middle-Belt and several South-West states.

Mr Umahi, who is also the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, said the insecurity situation in his region has been exacerbated by secessionist agitations by locals, the problem of foreign herdsmen who invaded the region and the general rise in the cases of cultism and armed robbery.

In Ebonyi, the Governor said communal crises are being “fuelled by political interests” in the form of “misguided comments by desperate politicians who want power at all cost.”

He also advocated for the reintegration of young people who have gone into crime into the society.

Ebube Agu Not After IPOB – Umahi

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi

 

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has said that the newly created security outfit in the southeast, Ebube Agu, is not against the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

The governor stated this on Friday during the handing over of some vehicles to security agencies to aid their work of bringing safety to lives and property of the residents of the state in Abakaliki.

Governors from the South-East had on April 11 have established a security network as part of plans to checkmate the rising unrest in the region, stemming from an increase in criminal activities.

According to a communique put out by governors of the Southeast, the agency is to oversee and monitor the activities of vigilante groups in the region.

But Umahi, who is also the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum said the regional leaders did not float the security outfit because they were at loggerheads with the outlawed IPOB.

READ ALSO: ‘EBUBE AGU’: South-East Governors Establish New Outfit To Tackle Rising Unrest

“Ebube Agu is not after the Eastern Security Network (ESN) or after IPOB, no. Ebube Agu is meant to protect the people of Ebonyi State and her visitors,” he said.

“I have asked every citizen of Ebonyi State to protect themselves against any killing, no Ebonyi person should be killed again by anybody for any reason.

“We will not take the killing of any Ebonyi person lightly any longer. We have not deployed our Ebube Agu. The social media is saying we have deployed, we merely said this is the uniform we are preparing.”

Umahi said Nigerian youths were aggrieved, adding that leaders must find a way of engaging them in order to bring the current partial breakdown of law and order under control.

Umahi Orders Compulsory Registration Of Native Doctors, Others

File photo of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi

 

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has issued a seven-day ultimatum to native doctors and traditional medicine dealers to register with government agencies or face arrest and prosecution.

The governor gave the directive on Thursday after a security meeting at the Government House in Abakaliki, the state capital, Umahi issued the ultimatum.

“All Native Doctors and Traditional Medicine Dealers in the state shall register with the Commissioner of Police, Commissioner for Health and Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, within 7 days as part of security measures in the state,” he said.

“On recent Killings in the state, it was directed that Security agencies must do everything possible to bring perpetrators to justice, and must deepen collaborations and professionalism to fight the ravages of insecurity in the state.”

READ ALSO: Insurgency: We Are Committed To Destroying Boko Haram Terrorists – COAS

As part of measures to tackle insecurity in the state, the governor imposed a 10-hour curfew on the state’s entry and exit points, from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., with defaulters facing a N1 million fine.

Umahi also directed the security forces to bring those responsible for the deaths of a police officer and two soldiers to justice within 72 hours.

Speaking further, Governor Umahi imposed a nighttime ban on social gatherings, noting that events such as wakes, clubbing, and other similar activities could not take place after 6 p.m. and that violators would be fined N1 million.

 

EMERGENCY STATE SECURITY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 28TH DAY OF APRIL, 2021 AT THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OCHOUDO CENTENARY CITY ABAKALIKI, EBONYI STATE

SYNOPSIS OF THE DECISIONS REACHED:

  1. All Native Doctors and Traditional Medicine Dealers in the state shall register with the Commissioner of Police, Commissioner for Health and Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, within 7 days as part of security measures in the state.
  2. On recent Killings in the state, it was directed that Security agencies must do everything possible to bring perpetrators to justice, and must deepen collaborations and professionalism to fight the ravages of insecurity in the state.
  3. Fake news peddlers must be tracked and cracked down and those spreading it must be prosecuted, as it is a gross conveyor of insecurity.

4  All wake keep activities  in the state must end by 6pm. Ebubeagu and Security Agencies are to enforce the wake keep restrictions. Defaulters must pay a fine of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00).

  1. Appeal is further made to our people to stop the killing of innocent people and the security agents, and to stop destroying public facilities for any guise whatsoever as they are inexcusably acts of banditry
  2. Okada unions must form their taskforce to fish out those bandits operating under the guise of Okada riders in the state, failing which government shall ban the use of Okada especially within the capital city of the state.
  3. Security investigations have revealed that the killings and destruction of properties meted against the people of Umuogodoakpu Mgbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area on the 12th day of April 2021 was by Agila community through the conduit of the herdsmen.
  4. Night clubs must not operate beyond 6pm as our laws on Covid-19 and other relevant laws shall be invoked to bring perpetrators to justice.
  5. Curfew is hereby placed in all the border points bounding other states from 8pm to 6 am with effect from wednesday, 28th April, 2021.
  6. Joint Youth Vigilante Committee is to be formed in the communities affected by communal clash.
  7. Ring road project is about to commence and therefore all the communities within the eight Local Government Areas where the roads will pass through are to form a joint youth committee to police the area to avoid violent disturbances by hoodlums.
  8. The two communities attacked by herdsmen and the conduits of Agila community respectively received a cheque of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) to be given to the families of the victims and Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) to be given for the procurement of security outfits for their local Vigilante, making a total sum of Forty Million Naira (N40,000,000.00) donation from the State government.
  9. Fasting and prayer has been declared from 1st to 8th May 2021 for our people to seek God’s intervention on the insecurity in the state.

Signed

Hon Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji

(Honourable Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ebonyi State)

DSS, Police Should Invite People Who Make Unsubstantiated Claims On Social Media – Umahi

A photo showing the logo of the social media and social networking service, Facebook and Twitter on a computer screen.

 

Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Police to invite Nigerians who make ‘unsubstantiated statements’ on social media to explain reasons for their comments.

The governor who made this comment during an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily said this is important to prevent an increase in crime.

“The level of crimes in the country is as a result of unpatriotic acts of a lot of us. We, leaders, we come out on television and then we speak, indict other regions, we speak against other regions, we pick on the leader of the country and then castigate the leader of the country. There is no patriotism at all.

“The way to prevent this thing is that if you are making unsubstantiated statements in the social media, the police, the SSS, you should be invited to explain and this is no politics because the country cannot fold our hands and allow people to plunge the country into another war. This is very important,” Umahi said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governor noted that these unpatriotic comments are capable of inciting division and might eventually plunge the country into a crisis or lead to war.

“I was told that one of the world wars started with a family quarrel and so if you are making a statement on social media calling it freedom of speech, you must come to the law to substantiate it.

“What I have in the (Ebonyi) State, the communal clash now should have stopped but for the politicians who are making unguarded accusations and statements in the social media and then people outside the state will just cash on that and emotions will arise and the problem will continue.”

Umahi’s reaction comes a week after the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said Twitter chose Ghana as the headquarters for its African operations, due to unpatriotic comments of Nigerians who demarket Nigeria.

Mr Mohammed said the tech giants chose Accra, Ghana over Nigeria because the nation’s West African neighbours are champions of democracy and abide by the rule of law.

“The reasons cited by Twitter for citing the headquarters in Accra, Ghana is that Accra is a champion of democracy and there is rule of law in the country, among other reasons. This is what you get when you de-market your country,” the Minister stated.

Some Persons Are Using IPOB, ESN To Commit Crimes – Dave Umahi

Dave Umahi during an interview Sunrise Daily on Thursday, April 22, 2021. PHOTO: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television.

 

Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi on Thursday said some criminals are committing crimes under the guise of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the South-East.

The governor made the comment during an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily.

“The truth of what is happening is that there are bandits everywhere; there are cultists everywhere. What happens now in the South-East is that criminals who may not necessarily be members of IPOB and ESN, will go and commit crimes and they need a name.

“So it’s safer for them to say they are members of ESN, and IPOB so that the persecution of IPOB and ESN by the Federal Government will cover them.

“That is what is happening in South-East because IPOB and ESN have a number of times come out to say they are not into terrorism and violence, and the people burning police stations and killing are not their members. And so how do you reconcile the two?” he said.

The governor urged South-East governors to rise against the ugly trend of attacks on security outfits especially police stations in the region.

READ ALSO: Bandits Attack Four Zamfara Villages, Kill 30 Locals

“It is a monster that we must not allow to arise in the South-East. When they finish with that (attacking police stations) they will start attacking stakeholders to kill them,” Umahi said.

 

IPOB Or Gunmen?

IPOB has been blamed for the recent attacks on prisons and police stations in the South-East but the group have denied the claims noting they are agitators, not gunmen.

Few hours after gunmen attacked the Nigerian Correctional Services and the Police Headquarters in the Imo State freeing prison inmates, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu revealed that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN) was behind the attack.

In response to this, IPOB stressed that they are not gunmen.

“We were not involved in the attack in Owerri and the recent attack on Onitsha-Owerri road at Ukwuorji junction.

“It is not our mandate to attack security personnel or prison facilities,’’ the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful said.

Meanwhile, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma in his reaction to attacks in the South-East blamed aggrieved politicians, saying their aim was to destabilise his government and that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor reacting three days after gunmen attacked the Nigerian Correctional Services and the Police Headquarters in Imo State explained that security agencies have gathered intelligence on the sponsors of the thugs and their planning leading to the attack on government establishments.

There Are Plans To Incite War In South-East – Umahi

 

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has raised an alarm over a plot by some persons to incite war in the southeast.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Umahi said bandits were committing crimes in the South-East of the country under the guise of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Although he didn’t reveal names or identities of the individuals involved, he warned that governors of the region will not allow what he termed illegality to reign in the area.

“The problem of this country is that people will leave their problems and make your problem their problem. But what some of these people are doing is to incite the south-east into war and step aside, and we are not going to buy into that, we are not going to be deceived again,” he said.

READ ALSO: Bandits Committing Crimes Under The Guise Of ESN, Says Umahi

“Whether it inspires confidence or not, it does not matter to me. What matters to me is that our people will be satisfied with our efforts in protecting their lives and property. People must be very careful, and know that there are grand plans by people who have no interest in the south-east, to incite them into war and we are wiser than that.”

File photo of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi

 

Governor Umahi said the regional security outfit, Ebube Agu, recently launched by the South-East governors was not formed in a hurry, adding that the only recognised security outfit in the region is Ebubeagu.

He explained that he and his other colleagues from Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo would fight insecurity within the ambit of the law.

While blaming some politicians for the insecurity in the region, he said: “Ebube Agu is to protect the lives of everyone in the South-East,” the governor stressed.

Recently, the eastern part of the country has come under intense attacks as gunmen assail residents, police formations and prisons, freeing thousands of inmates.

This forced the governors of the region to launch a security outfit to complement the efforts of the security agencies in the fight against crimes.

‘EBUBE AGU’: South-East Governors Establish New Outfit To Tackle Rising Unrest

 

Governors from the South East of Nigeria have established a security outfit called EBUBE AGU as part of plans to checkmate the rising unrest in the region, stemming from an increase in criminal activities. 

According to a communique put out by governors of the Southeast, the agency is to oversee and monitor the activities of vigilante groups in the region.

Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, Dave Umahi who read the statement after a meeting in Imo State on Sunday, noted that the headquarters of EBUBE AGU security outfit will be in Enugu state.

Below is the full communique signed by governors of the Southeast region.

READ ALSO: Police Rescue 15 Kidnapped Victims, Recover 32 Cows In Kaduna

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS AND HEADS OF SECURITY AGENCIES AT THE END OF THE FIRST SOUTH EAST SECURITY SUMMIT HELD IN OWERRI ON SUNDAY APRIL 11th 2021

After exhaustive discussions on the current security challenges in the South East and with valuable contributions from participants at the first South East security summit in Owerri on this day Sunday April 11th 2021, it was resolved as follows:

1. To strongly and unequivocally condemn terrorism and banditry in any part of Nigeria, particularly in the South East. The meeting strongly condemns the burning of police stations, violent attacks on custodial centres with the unlawful release of inmates, and the killings including security personnel, natives/ farmers and headsmen.

2. That the five South East states are on the same page with the federal government on the issue of security challenges in the country. To this end, the meeting makes it absolutely clear that the South east will stand resolutely with the federal government to fight terrorists and bandits to a finish

3. That the political leadership in the South East has resolved to bring together all the arsenals at their command, as one united zone, to fight and flush out criminals and terrorist from the zone.

4. That the summit resolved that to achieve this, there is a need to galvanise all the relevant stakeholders in the south east, the political class, the business community, the bureaucrats and the intelligentsia to provide all necessary support to security operatives in the five south east states to ensure total success in the fight against criminality in the zone.

5. That the heads of all the security agencies in the south east have resolved to exchange intelligence in a seamless, effective new order that will help to checkmate crime in the zone.

6. That to fast track crime-busting in the south east, the heads of security agencies have been mandated to draw up a comprehensive list of their logistics and material needs for sustainable success in the fight against criminality, for the immediate provision by the leadership of the South East.

7. That a committee made up of security personnel, government officials and relevant stakeholders be set up to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the south east joint security platform.

8. To applaud the initiative of the South east security summit and to make it a statutory summit that will convene every quarter while its hosting shall rotate among the five south east states.

9. The meeting resolved to maintain a joint security vigilante for the South East otherwise known as Ebube Agu.

10. The meeting appreciated the formation of South East joint security outfit co. Named Ebubeagu. Headquarters in Enugu to coordinate our vigilante in the South East.

11. South East Governors requested the Acting IGP to stop the influx of IGP monitory units but to allow cps and state and Zonal commands to handle their cases.

12. Meeting approve that the acting IGP and other security chiefs do invite the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo and CAN to find out the reason for increasing insecurity of the South East .

13. Meeting agreed that military policing in the South East should be adequately funded and become effective.

14. Meeting agreed that open grazing has been banned and security agency should implement the ban.

15. The meeting encouraged a peaceful coexistence of farmers and headers to allow Governors to succeed in the fight against criminality.

Umahi To Ebonyi Youths: Remove Your Minds From Politics, Succeed First

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi speaks during a meeting in Abakaliki on February 1, 2021.

 

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has cautioned youths of the state against indulging in politics, telling them to be successful first.

The governor gave this directive on Wednesday during an Ebonyi State #EndSARS Summit hosted by the state government in Abakaliki.

Umahi said, “Remove your minds from politics and succeed first. Those who are manipulating politics are the wealthy men and women.

“That man that made every one of us be a councillor, go and find out his situation. Has he made any progress? The answer is no.

“I hear government should provide jobs. Let us even say jobs are provided, N30, 000 minimum wages. In one year, it is N360, 000. What are you doing with that?”

READ ALSO: Return £4.2m Ibori Loot To Delta State, Reps Tell FG

The governor said he is under pressure by the people in his village, noting that his predecessors had employed people from their villages while being at the helms of affairs in the state.

He told the youths that his decision not to follow the path of ex-governors of Ebonyi State was not impoverish the people who he said were the future leaders.

Governor Umahi recalled that while he served as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, the executive members of the party were business people.

“You can only give what you have. Some of you run after the politicians, some of them never went to school. Some of them have nothing to offer, they brainwash you.

“You become their thugs, their families are overseas. It is our own, what are you doing at a party? A party you know in Ebonyi State is me,” he added.

The governor also charged youths in the state to remain steadfast in the pursuit of their dreams.

The event brought together youths from the 13 local government areas served as an avenue to inculcate right values that aim to make them better citizens.

Umahi Flags Off APC Membership Registration In Ebonyi

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi speaks at the Government House in Abakaliki on January 5, 2021.

 

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has flagged off the membership registration of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

The exercise scheduled to take place across the 13 local government areas of the state was flagged off on Tuesday at an event held at the Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki, the state capital.

Governor Umahi directed the commencement of the exercise in the presence of a former governor of the state, Martin Elechi, and other party stalwarts who attended the event.

READ ALSO: APC Will Miss Tony Momoh, Says Lawan

Delivering his keynote address, he appreciated leaders and members of the APC in Ebonyi state for their steadfastness towards the progress of the party in the state.

He stressed the need for party members in Ebonyi to support the efforts aimed at moving the APC forward and ensure the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.

In his remarks, the APC Chairman in Ebonyi, Stanley Emegha, called on members to turn out en masse for the registration exercise.

Other party leaders at the gathering also admonished party members to see the exercise as a call to duty in order to bring an all-round development in the state.

Umahi, who is in his second tenure, was elected into office as governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

In November 2020, he defected to the APC on some reasons which included that the South East region has suffered injustice in the PDP.

While the main opposition party denied the accusation, the PDP alleged that the governor defected to actualise his ambition of contesting for president in the 2023 general elections.

In 2007, Umahi led the PDP in Ebonyi in acting capacity, and later served as the party chairman between 2009 to 2011.

Later that year, he emerged as the running mate to former Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, and became the deputy governor after they won the election.

While Elechi’s tenure neared conclusion, the former governor supported a former Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, to succeed him – a move which was rejected by Umahi.

Umahi, who accused Elechi of violating an understanding that he would succeed him, later faced Chukwu and others in the PDP primary.

He clinched the PDP’s governorship ticket while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner of the 2015 election after meeting the requirements to hold the position.

Southeast Governors Have Banned Open Grazing, Movement Of Cows By Foot – Umahi

 

The Southeast governors have banned open grazing and the movement of cows by foot in the region in a bid to tackle the security challenges confronting the zone.

Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi disclosed this on Monday during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress in Abakaliki.

“The governors of the southeast had banned not only open grazing, but we have also banned the movement of cows by foot into the southeast,” he said.

“In each of the five states of the southeast, we are managing ourselves very well. We have also stopped the movement of cows across communities.

“What we discussed in the southeast with the herdsmen, with the farmers is the method that has been in place for a long time before now.”

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi speaks during a meeting in Abakaliki on February 1, 2021.

 

The governor also cautioned the easterners against instigating crises in the country through the dissemination of fake videos alleging the killing of Fulanis by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East.

READ ALSO: Two Locals Die As Soldiers Kill Several Bandits In Kaduna

While noting that security is not an issue that should be politicised, Governor Umahi called on leaders of the region to create a framework that will secure the lives and properties of the people.

“What our people must know is that security is not political, what is demanded of the leaders is to put up programs that favour the people and foster national unity.

“There is a new dimension that is taking place in the southeast which is very dangerous. It is when the communities use the name of IPOB, the video and upload it to the social media and say it is IPOB that is burning the houses of herdsmen.

“It is not IPOB, it is the communities that are doing this and this is very dangerous for the Igbo man. I am talking to us as leaders,” he added.

Killings: Desperate Politicians Aligning With Bandits To Destabilise Nigeria – Umahi

 

The South-East Governors Forum have accused desperate politicians of aligning with bandits to stabilise Nigeria.

Chairman of the Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, made the comments on Tuesday after a virtual meeting with the five governors of the region in attendance.

“The governors are so worried about the killings and kidnappings that are going on by our people in the southeast, killing our own people and the security agencies,” he said.

“The situation is being heightened by the activities of very desperate politicians, this time irrespective of party affiliations.

“There are so many desperate politicians in all the political parties that are so desperate for power and they have aligned with some bandits in the southeast to destabilise the nation.”

Governor Umahi explained that the five southeast states dissociated themselves from a bi-partisan meeting convened by some stakeholders from the region on the security situation.

The Ebonyi governor urged them to instead speak out and condemn killings within their domain.

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi speaks at the Government House in Abakaliki on January 5, 2021.

 

He also seized the opportunity to shed more light on a viral social media video, relating to the eviction of some Nigerians from the northern part of the country resident in Ebonyi State.

READ ALSO: There Has Been No Increase In Electricity Tariffs, Says Keyamo

“The Fulani settlement that decided to move to Taraba State and retained some of the family members in Ebonyi State and of course, the man is still here.

“Politicians as we have intelligence gathering went to put a voice and said it is the Igbos that are chasing away the herdsmen from Ebonyi State.

“Such a video went very wide and was causing panic in other parts of the country. That was very much uncalled for because we also have over 11 million of our people living in the north.

“We have so many of our people living in south-south and south-west. When people do this, they think they are doing it to pull down a particular governor, not knowing that they are doing it to start killings against our people.”