Criminality, Say Shettima, Okorocha
Enugu — The Chairman of the Northern Governors' Forum and Borno State Governor, Kassim Shettima, on Tuesday in
Enugu State asked the federal government not to rest until those behind last week invasion of Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State are fished out and decisively dealt with.
While describing the perpetrators of the heinous crime as criminals, the governor noted that Nigeria remains "one nation with common destiny."
He said despite the challenges facing the country, Nigerians must unite to surmount them.Shettima applauded the
Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for showing leadership in the face of obvious provocation occasioned by
the attack in Nimbo community.
Shettima spoke when governors of Imo State, elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by their
Chairman and Governor Rochas Okorocha, paid a sympathy visit to the government and people of Enugu State.
Among those who were part of the delegation to the Coal
City were Governor Baderu Abubakr of Jigawa State, Rauf
Aregbesola of Osun State, Shettima, Okorocha and the
Deputy Governor of Yobe and Kogi States, Aliyu Abubakar
and Simeon Achuba respectively.
The Borno State governor said he understood the "meaning
of terror and the associated pains. "We have been through
that for over seven years and we have been able to forge
ahead largely because of the empathy we have received
from our compatriots from all over the country including the
sympathy of the good people of Enugu State.
"In our last meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, it
might interest you and other eminent personality to know
that we acknowledged the generous contributions of the
government and people of Ebonyi State to the victims of
Boko haram attacks in Borno State. Though we belong to
the APC club, Ebonyi which is South-eastern state, a
Christian state, but in the true spirit of nationhood, the
people showed sympathy and support to the people of
Borno State. Even in the face of crisis, the need to maintain
calmness remained imperative.
"In a period like this, we must be able to maintain the
highest level of clear-headedness about the challenges that
face us as a country and we know that these are very
difficult times for our country. Times like this call for
sobriety, maturity, level-headedness, and I want to pay a
specially tribute to my brother the governor of Enugu State
for showing leadership in moments of crisis. I want to pay
a special tribute to our traditional rulers for our religious
leaders for maintaining calmness in moments of crisis.
"I was with our president last night and I can tell you how he
expressed sadness and pains over the attack. He remains
so much worried and is leaving no stone unturned in
ensuring that those criminals behind the attack are brought
to book. Indeed, we must find the killers and treat them as
criminals that they are," he noted.
On his part, the leader of the delegation and chairman of the
Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Okorocha, said they
were in Enugu to identify with the people of the state over
the ugly incident of last week which claimed many lives,
noting that though the Enugu State governor belongs to the
PDP, in such "situation, we must put aside our religious and
political differences and come together in the interest of the
unity of this country.
"Death is death no matter how it comes but the most
painful one is man-made death. This nation of ours is one
irrespective of our political affiliations. In death, there is no
political party. We've come to show our genuine concern, to
commiserate with Ndi Enugu. You've shown maturity in
handling the matter in spite of the obvious provocation. In
other places, there would have been reprisals but the
governor has not allowed it to degenerate into ethnicity or
tribal lines.
"We condemn it in its entirety. This is an act of criminality.
We must understand that a criminal in Borno State is also a
criminal in Enugu, Imo or Osun State; he remains a criminal
everywhere and must be treated as such."
Responding, Ugwuanyi said the visit was not only
heartwarming but to a large extent, confirmed that
Nigerians do share a common of sense of grief and loss
with the people of Enugu State over the unfortunate
incident.
"I recall that most of you had earlier, during our last
meeting, extended their condolences to me, but coming
here in person today also demonstrates your love and high
regard for the people of Enugu State. I've also previously
expressed our gratitude to President Buhari along with
members of the National Assembly, various Leaders of
thought and indeed Nigerians for the concern, outrage and
sympathy they displayed over the incident," he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Ugwuanyi yesterday announced that
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp would be set up
at Ukpabi-Nimbo very soon to cater for those who
abandoned their homes at the wake of last week invasion
and killing of residents of the community by suspected
Fulani herdsmen.
The governor spoke as a coalition of 13 women-based non-
governmental organisations in the South-east zone
organised a peaceful protest over the recent killings in
Nimbo.
Dressed mainly in black and bearing placards with various
inscriptions, the protesters marched from Okpara Square to
the Enugu Government House and Enugu House of
Assembly.
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