Oodua, Biafra supporters amazing weapons to scuttle election, Says IG
By Bola Ayegbaju
Advocates for Oodua Republic and Biafra are amazing weapons to cause mayhem and scuttle the 2023 elections, the Inspector General of Police, IG Usman Alkali has said.
He spoke at a strategic meeting during a meeting with Command Police Commissioners, Zonal AIGs and Deputy Inspector’s General of Police.
The event took place on Monday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The IG said his information was based on intelligence gathering about self determination promoters in Nigeria.
The police boss said the Oduduwa promoters have been amazing weapons and training aimed at frustrating any elections holding in the South West areas.
He urged the police to work harder to apprehend those planning to disrupt the election.
In recent years, many groups have emerged clamouring for Igbo and Igbo separated republics in Africa’s most populous country.
The agitation for self determination has been largely fueled by an overcentralised political economy in Nigeria which sniffles self actualisation.
The responses of the government has been largely driven by military operations targeting secessionist while the root causes, corruption, ethnicity, exclusion, unitary political and economic structures, right violations and extremely weak institution, have been left unattended to.
The IG said “Furthermore, Illegal Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) trafficking are being utilized to advance political violence, political extremism and intolerance, while cyber-bullying for political ends is on the rise daily. Also, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and thuggery some of which have political undertones or consequences constitute major security threats to our democracy.”
He listed violent secessionist campaigns by IPOB/ESN members which have been targeted at various symbols of democratic governance including INEC assets, Police Stations and personnel as well as other security agencies and Federal Government infrastructures, as part of efforts to disrupt the 2023 General Elections in the South East geopolitical zone.
“Other crimes of national security importance which could undermine our efforts towards entrenching a peaceful electioneering process, if not adequately curtailed include Banditry/Terrorism which has ravaged many communities in the North-west and North-Central with adverse effects on the economic and social wellbeing of the residents.