The so-called ‘unknown gunmen’ are not unknown as they claim to be but are yet to be exposed because they are being pampered by landlords and other stakeholders…Criminals kidnapping people for ransom, killings and destruction are not agitating, but engaging in lucrative criminality. We know where these criminals are… It is not agitation, but a criminal activity” – Governor Charles Soludo.
“Their modus operandi involves sporadic shooting, abduction, maiming, arson, jailbreak and extrajudicial killing. Their targets include private citizens, business owners, politicians, government institutions and business organisations. Their activities are carried out in rural and urban areas; in daytime or at night. The aftereffect of such attacks is the destruction of life and property, piles of dead bodies, displacement, torched villages, maimed victims, lots of casualties, an increase in internal displacement, forced migration and food shortages. Attacks by unknown gunmen. These attacks also have economic implications as the means of livelihood of several Nigerians have been destroyed, while foreign investors have been scared away from such volatile areas”
– Victor Chukwugekwu Ebonine, Iyase Osariyekemwen Ambrose in ‘Unknown Gunmen and Insecurity in Nigeria’.
Writ large on my mind when a few weeks ago I flew a kite regarding a Marshall Plan for Northern Nigeria, was a situation where the deployment of huge funds could be used to banish the crawling poverty in that part of the country by socially, and infrastructurally restructuring the region – get millions of out of school children heading to schools, tens of thousands of the citizens who are waiting to be recruited by all manner of criminal gang’s, getting gainfully employed just as several agro- allied industries are established to process its more than abundant agricultural products. I had
equally believed that seeing these possibilities, at least one or two, if nòt many more, of the hundreds of Northernern billionaires would not only react to the article, but actually initiate the process of getting the Plan in place.
But for where?
I had forgotten that many had become so stinkingly rich through government patronage, while those of them who are actually engaged in productive activities make their millions of dollars, on a daily basis, in Southern Nigeria where things are far less restive, and that their concern for the deleterious consequences of the large scale insecurity convulsing their homeland does not go beyond palliatives.
Unfortunately, the reaction of Southeastern leaders – Obis, politicians, its world acclaimed Igbo intellectual, merchants of all manner of enterprise – has also shown that Northern leaders – Emirs, Generals, especially retired, super rich businessmen and the equally world acclaimed Northern intellectual, forever holding conferences all the year round, on all manner of subjects – do not have a monopoly of treating their homeland with benign neglect.
I did my humble little in ‘It is Time For a Marshall Plan For Northern Nigeria’ (The Nation. 15 September, 2024) to prick the conscience of the average Northerner, to see what hell on earth their people are going through, being daily subjected to Boko Haram activities, banditry, sporadic shootings, abduction, maiming, arson as well as sundry extrajudicial killings.
Unfortunately, not a whimper was heard in reaction.
Today, I shall be turning my gaze Southwards to the Southeast where, for years, things have not been much better than we see in both the Northeast and the Northwest.
Below, for instance, is a typical iteration of the Southeastern condition as reported by several newspapers this past week:
“The Defence Headquarters on Thursday said Troops of Operation UDO KA at FOB Orsu in a sting operation apprehended a terrorist leader identified as Mr Pius Iguh after troops conducted an offensive operation in Orsu and Obubra LGAS of Imo and Cross River States respectively. Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba revealed while addressing media at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja that Troops also made contact with IPOB/ESN terrorists in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State.
General Buba said the arrested Mr Pius Iguh is an IPOB terrorist founding father responsible for Orsu general area in Imo State. He also added that Troops conducted a sting operation and arrested IPOB/ESN terrorists in Ehime Mbano, Oguta and Orsu LGAs of Imo State as well as Udenu LGA of Enugu State respectively. In a separate development, troops at FOB Amaruku conducted a raid on an IPOB commander. The raid was successful and led to the arrest of the Commander identified as Emmanuel Onwugu in Mbano LGA of Abia State. In another development, troops and security forces conducted a combined sting operation. General Buba said the operation led to the arrest of a notorious cult leader named Ifeanyi Rock and 10 of his combatants in Arochukwu LGA of Abia StateOverall, troops of Operation UDO KA neutralized 24 terrorists, arrested 12 violent extremists and rescued one kidnapped hostage. Troops recovered 10 AK47 rifles, 15 pump action guns, 153 rounds of 7.62mm amongst other items.The ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations of the armed forces has dealt significant blows to terrorist capabilities. Troops have denied these terrorists from accomplishing their strategic objectives…”
Now which of these ought to mean nothing to the average Igbo, especially its leaders: that after the slaughter of millions of Igbo youth in the unfortunate civil war, countless numbers of its very vibrant youth are, again now putting themselves to this needless death? Or the fact that not only are businesses unnecessarily disrupted weekly by the activities of these young men and, to quote the researchers we already referenced at some length: “the destruction of life and property, piles of dead bodies, displacement, torched villages, maimed victims, lots of casualties, an increase in internal displacement, forced migration and food shortages, a humanitarian crisis with an increase in the number of internally displaced persons, student abductions and wanton killings?”
Why then has the Igbo leadership not moved, like one man, into some meaningful effort to stanch this horrible daily experience of their people?
I do not come into these issues, North and South, because I am some good Samaritan; rather it is simply because I can see what peace, Pan – Nigeria, can do for this currently thoroughly beleagured giant of Africa.
I also do not intend to patronise Igbos when I say they are rigorous, brilliant, courageous and, above all, highly resourceful. But is all that only as far as money making is concerned, and nothing else matters?
What is stopping Igbo intellectuals from acting if their politicians are playing timid, fearing they might lose their highly profitable sinecures?
I once raised this question with a younger Igbo friend of mine, a professor. He wisely told me that given what is going on in the Southeast, with hardly any respect for human life, it is only reasonable to wait and watch. Of course, I agree with him because it is common knowledge that many Igbos, visiting from abroad, do not go beyond Lagos, or have an occasional visit to Abuja, before going back. And if they must go home at all, they would have to pay protection money to whichever criminal gang controls their area.
Were my advice sought on this matter, I would go straight to the words of Anambra state governor, Professor Charles Soludo when he says:“these are criminals kidnapping people for ransom. Killings and destruction, he emphasised, are not agitating but engaging in LUCRATIVE CRIMINALITY.
We know where these criminals are… It is not agitation, but a criminal activity”.
Now I am going to a very risky territory because I know how Igbos idolise their ‘young kings’ who, they actually believe, are the messiahs who will take them out of Nigeria, back to Israel since they claim they are Jews; these very boys oiling criminally in Igbo land. To touch them, as I am now doing, is to open oneself to a barrage of infantile name calling on social media. But what would that profit them? Besides, I’ve been on this column since 2006 – do the arithmetic – and name calling has not succeeded in removing a strand of hair from my head.
But what does the bible say about a people whose kings ( rulers/leaders) are children?
Says Ecclesiastes 10:16-17-“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!”.
These ‘young Igbo messiahs’, well aware of the Igbo psyche, always emerge, posing as freedom fighters but governor Soludo knows them.
First was Ralph Uwazuruike who, thanks to a WhatsApp post which trended some months ago, we now know is a multi- millionaire. From nowhere emerged the charismatic prince, Nnamdi Kanu, ever flamboyant, and blessed with the gift of the garb, who soon seduced every Igbo so much Igbo National Assembly members, fearful of losing election, literally worship him. One of them even signed up for him as surety, never believing the strong man could ever vote with his feet. The Nigerian government had to, creatively, bring him back home (rendition) from Kenya; an action already adjudged illegal by a court of law. And now the latest, and perhaps the most dangerous of them all – who singlehandedly, successfully shamed Nigeria by exposing her diplomatic impotence to the entire world.
Simon Ekpa, ensconced in Finland now for years, instigating all manner of criminalities all over the Southeast, and only last week inviting the Nigerian Army to a contest of weaponry, “if the Nigerian Army could dare”, has made mince meat of any influence the ‘giant of Africa’ may claim to possess as Nigeria has failed dismally to get Finland to move against him.
But how do their activities advance the cause of the Igbo or how does the massive insecurity benefit Igbo businesses or life in general?
If the answers to the questions above are all in negative territory, as they are, then when would Igbo leaders, its opinion leaders, their politicians, if they can be trusted, all get together, and say enough is enough?
While it is true that the Igbo republican nature makes them independent minded, it is an undeniable fact that these Unknown Gun Men who Soludo told us are known, but not yet arrested, as they sure would, do have parents. Since Soludo also described what they are doing as lucrative criminality, I make bold to say that if Igbo leaders are not being influenced by consideration for the huge fortune their ‘young kings’ are making, especially from Diasporan Igbo, then the time is now for the entire race to get together and say enough, because as things stand, Igbos are literally destroying themselves.
With iron clad determination, they should be able to put an end to all these killings and economic strangulation in their homeland because, unlike in the North where the bandits, Boko Haram elements and the criminal Fulani herders tormenting the region are multinational, those ravaging Igboland are Igbos. Igboland can make do with a modicum of peace.
I wish them all they wish themselves.
“The so-called ‘unknown gunmen’ are not unknown as they claimed to be, but are yet to be exposed because they are being pampered by landlords and other stakeholders…Criminals kidnapping people for ransom, killings and destruction are not agitating, but engaging in lucrative criminality. We know where these criminals are… It is not agitation, but a criminal activity” – Governor Charles Soludo.
“Their modus operandi involves sporadic shooting, abduction, maiming, arson, jailbreak and extrajudicial killing. Their targets include private citizens, business owners, politicians, government institutions and business organisations. Their activities are carried out in rural and urban areas; in daytime or at night. The aftereffect of such attacks is the destruction of life and property, piles of dead bodies, displacement, torched villages, maimed victims, lots of casualties, an increase in internal displacement, forced migration and food shortages. Attacks by unknown gunmen have led to a humanitarian crisis with an increase in the number of internally displaced persons, student abductions and wanton killings (SPD, 2021, p. 1). These attacks also have economic implications as the means of livelihood of several Nigerians have been destroyed, while foreign investors have been scared away from such volatile areas”
Victor Chukwugekwu Ebonine, Iyase Osariyekemwen Ambros and in Unknown Gunmen and Insecurity in Nigeria.
Writ large on my mind when a few weeks ago I flew a kite regarding a Marshall Plan for Northern Nigeria, was a situation where the deployment of huge funds could be used to banish the crawling poverty in that part of the country by socially and infrastructurally restructuring the region – get millions of out of school children heading to schools, tens of thousands of the citizens waiting to be eagerly recruited by all manner of criminal gang’s getting gainfully employed as many agro- allied midlevel industries are established to process its more than abundant agricultural products.
I equally believed that seeing these possibilities, at least one or two, if nòt many more, of the hundreds of billionaires in that part of the country would not only react to the article but actually initiate the process of getting the Plan in place.
But for where?
I had forgotten that many had become so stinkingly rich through government while those of them who are actually engaged in productive activities make their millions of dollars, on a daily basis, in Southern Nigeria where things are far less restive, and that their concern for the deleterious consequences of the large scale insecurity convulsing their homeland does not go beyond sending palliatives.
Unfortunately, the reaction of Southeastern leaders – Obis, politicians, its world acclaimed Igbo intellectual, merchants of all manner of enterprise – has shown, conclusively, that Northern leaders – Emirs, Generals, especially retired, super rich businessmen and the equally world acclaimed Northern intellectual, forever holding conferences, all the year round, on all manner of subjects – do not have a monopoly of treating their homeland with benign neglect.
I did my humble little in ‘It is Time For a Marshall Plan For Northern Nigeria’ (The Nation. 15 September, 2024) to prick the conscience of the average Northerner, to see what hell on earth their people are going through, being daily subjected to Boko Haram activities, banditry, sporadic shootings, abduction, maiming, arson as well as sundry extrajudicial killings.
Unfortunately, not a whimper was heard in reaction.
Today, I shall be turning my gaze Southwards to the Southeast where, for years, things have not been better than we see in both the Northeast and the Northwest.
Below is a typical iteration of the Southeastern condition as reported by several newspapers this past week:
“The Defence Headquarters on Thursday said Troops of Operation UDO KA at FOB Orsu in a sting operation apprehended a terrorist leader identified as Mr Pius Iguh after troops conducted an offensive operation in Orsu and Obubra LGAS of Imo and Cross River States respectively. Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba revealed while addressing media at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja that Troops also made contact with IPOB/ESN terrorists in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State.
General Buba said the arrested Mr Pius Iguh is an IPOB terrorist founding father responsible for Orsu general area in Imo State. He also added that Troops conducted a sting operation and arrested IPOB/ESN terrorists in Ehime Mbano, Oguta and Orsu LGAs of Imo State as well as Udenu LGA of Enugu State respectively. In a separate development, troops at FOB Amaruku conducted a raid on an IPOB commander. The raid was successful and led to the arrest of the Commander identified as Emmanuel Onwugu in Mbano LGA of Abia State. In another development, troops and security forces conducted a combined sting operation. General Buba said the operation led to the arrest of a notorious cult leader named Ifeanyi Rock and 10 of his combatants in Arochukwu LGA of Abia StateOverall, troops of Operation UDO KA neutralized 24 terrorists, arrested 12 violent extremists and rescued one kidnapped hostage. Troops recovered 10 AK47 rifles, 15 pump action guns, 153 rounds of 7.62mm amongst other items.The ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations of the armed forces has dealt significant blows to terrorist capabilities. Troops have denied these terrorists from accomplishing their strategic objectives…”
Now which of these ought to mean nothing to the average Igbo, especially its leaders: that after the slaughter of millions of Igbo youth in the unfortunate civil war, countless numbers of its very vibrant youth aarenow putting themselves to this needless death? Or the fact that not only are businesses unnecessarily disrupted weekly by the activities of these young men and, to quote the researchers we already referenced at some length: “the destruction of life and property, piles of dead bodies, displacement, torched villages, maimed victims, lots of casualties, an increase in internal displacement, forced migration and food shortages, a humanitarian crisis with an increase in the number of internally displaced persons, student abductions and wanton killings?”
Why then has the Igbo leadership not moved, like one man, into some meaningful effort to stanch this horrible daily experience of their people? I do not come into these issues, North and South, because I am some good Samaritan, rather it is simply because I can see what peace, Pan – Nigeria, can do for this currently thoroughly beleagured giant of Africa.
I also do not intend to patronise Igbos when I say are rigorous, brilliant, courageous and, above all, highly resourceful. But is all that only as far as money makinggis concerned, and nothing else matters?
What is stopping637 Igbo intellectuals from acting if their politicians are playing timid, fearing they might lose their highly profitable sinecures?
I once raised this very question with a younger Igbo friend of mine, a professor. He wisely told me that given what is going on in the Southeast, with hardly any respect for human life, it is only reasonable to wait and watch. Of course, I agree with him because it is common knowledge that many Igbos, visiting from abroad, do not go beyond Lagos, or have an occasional visit to Abuja before going back. And if they must get home at all, they would have to pay protection money to whichever criminal gang controls their area.
Were my advice sought on this matter, I would go straight to the words of Anambra state governor, Professor Charles Soludo when he says that: “these are criminals kidnapping people for ransom. Killings and destruction, he emphasised, are not agitating but engaging in LUCRATIVE CRIMINALITY. We know where these criminals are… It is not agitation, but a criminal activity”.
Now I am going to a very risky territory because I know Igbos idolise their ‘young kings’ who they actually believe are the messiahs who will take them out of Nigeria back to Israel since they claim they are Jews; these very boys oiling criminally in Igbo land. To touch them, as am now doing, is to open oneself to a barrage on infantile name calling on social media. But what would that profit them. Besides, I’ve been on this column since 2006 – do the arithmetic, and name calling has not succeeded in removing a strand of hair from my head.
But what does the bible say about a people whose kings ( rulers/leaders) are children?
Says Ecclesiastes 10:16-17-“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!”.
These young Igbo messiahs, well aware of the Igbo psyche, always emerge posing as freedom fighters but Soludo knows them.
First was Ralph Uwazuruike who, thanks to a WhatsApp post which trended some months ago, is now a multi- millionaire. From nowhere emerged the charismatic prince, Nnamdi Kanu, ever flamboyant, and blessed with the gift of the garb, who soon seduced every Igbo so much Igbo National Assembly members, fearful of losing election, literally worship him. One of them even signed up for him as surety, never believing the strong man could ever vote with his feet. The Nigerian government had to, creatively, bring him back home (rendition) from Kenya; an action already adjudged illegal by a court of law. And now the latest, and perhaps the most dangerous of them all – who singlehandedly, successfully shamed Nigeria by exposing her diplomatic impotence to the entire world.
Simon Ekpa, ensconced in Finland now for years, instigating all manner of criminalities all over the Southeast, and only last week inviting the Nigerian Army to a contest of weaponry, “if the Nigerian Army could dare”, has made mince meat of any influence the ‘giant of Africa’ may claim to possess as Nigeria has failed dismally to get Finland to move against him.
But how does that advance the cause of the Igbos or how does the massive insecurity benefit Igbo businesses or life in general?
If all the answers are in negative territory, as they are, then when would Igbo leaders, its opinion leaders, their politicians, if they can be trusted, all get together, and say enough is enough?
While it is true that the Igbo republican nature makes them independent minded, it is an undeniable fact that these Unknown Gun Men who Soludo told us are known, but not yet arrested, as they sure would, do have parents. Since Soludo also described what these criminals are doing as lucrative criminality, I make bold to say that if Igbo leaders are not being influenced by consideration for the huge fortune their ‘young kings’ are making, especially from Diasporan Igbo, then the time is now for the entire race to get together and say enough because as things stand, Igbos are literally destroying themselves.
With iron clad determination, they should be able to put an end to all these killings and economic strangulation in their homeland because, unlike Northern Nigeria where the bandits, Boko Haram elements and the criminal Fulani herders tormenting the region are multinational, those ravaging Igboland are their own Igbos. Igboland can make do with a modicum of peace.
I wish them all they wish themselves.
