The South-East Governors Forum rose from a maiden meeting on Thursday and ordered security agencies to deal ruthlessly with perpetrators of insecurity in the region and their sponsors.
The governors said criminals should not be seen as legitimate pro-Biafran agitators.
The Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who read the resolution of the forum, commended the security agencies for their cooperation so far and encouraged them not to relent.
The meeting, which was held in Enugu, was attended by governors of the five southeastern states – Peter Mbah (Enugu); Alex Otti (Abia); Prof. Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra); Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi); and Uzodimma (Imo).
Speaking on their behalf, Uzodimma said, “We wish to state categorically that the perpetrators of the insecurity in our region and their sponsors are criminals and should not be seen as legitimate agitators. Therefore, upon arrest, they should be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.
“The forum resolved to hold the security and economic summit on a date to be announced soon.”
The South-East has been battling heightened insecurity since the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra introduced sit-at-home as a strategy to demand the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
During sit-at-home, residents are forced to stay indoors while businesses are also shut, paralysing the economy.
People who dare to come out are often attacked by non-state actors enforcing the sit-at-home.
There have been continued confrontations between security agents and IPOB fighters enforcing sit-at-home, leading to the loss of lives and property in the South-East region.
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