Former Deputy governor of Anambra State, Her Excellency Barr. Stella Odife has said that use of force and recent arrest IPOB

called on the federal government to stop using force in resolving national issue, noting that re-arresting the leader of IPOB would not solve the problem in Nigeria.

Hon Odife who spoke during the conference/inauguration of South East Peace Councilors by the Advocates for Global Peace Forum International (AGPFI), said that there cannot be peace in Nigeria without first dealing with underlining issues afflicting the nation.

While calling on the federal government to listen to the agitating youths, Odife disclosed that agitation was as a result of poor governance, militarisation and marginalisation of the zone by the present administration led by Muhammadu Buhari.

“We cannot talk of peace in the South East without thinking of Nigeria as a whole because the major problem we have down here is as a result of activities at the national level. And the greatest mistake the president and we the leaders are making is not being able to know that it is as a disease we have to look for the cause. We have been applying medicine at the periphery and leave out the core issue. find out what is the real problem.

“The reason why we have been in this mess for a long time is that we thought we are in a democracy and yet militarized. If you go back from the day, when we had democracy, those who emerged as the leader are mainly Major Generals with civilian uniform. Their orientation is military, that is why when we have any problem from any sector, they will use force instead of dialogue. The problem we have is like cancer.

“The same thing happens to those in the North. They use Force on them without finding a solution to their problem. The same thing happened in the South East but the east is the worst because it started since the war and we parents are overlooking it. The same problem that we parents saw during the war which we couldn’t even understand is happening again.

“If you hold Kanu today, you’re not holding his speech. His speech is still there unattended to. Can we for once quickly look into the issue and forget applying force. Force will lead us to nowhere. We are all parents and all have children. If you neglect any of them, he will be out to give you trouble and to solve it needs a round table.

“It’s absolutely necessary for the federal government to listen to the cry of younger ones. It’s not with force that we are going to achieve peace. The problem in the East is too peculiar. We have been using Community policing and no bad boys operate in his area because he will be picked up immediately. The President Generals should go back and form Community policing to rid out bad boys or ostracize them as we used to do before”, She said.

In a welcome address, the President of AGPFI, Bishop Frederick Macaulay, described peace as a journey of hope, dialogue, reconciliation and ecological convention.

Bishop Macaulay while urging the inaugurated peace councilors to work towards restoring peace and stability, summited that restoring peace would be a great achievement if they could fine a lasting solution to injustice, violence and unwanted killing in the zone.

While condemning the federal government continuous marginalisation of South East, killing, rapping of women and destruction of farm produce by Fulani herdsmen in the zone, he said, mistrust and fear weakens relationship and increase the risk of violence, creating a vicious circle that can never lead to relationship of peace.

“I will like to state categorically here at this historical gathering that restoring peace in the Eastern region of Nigeria is a great achievement and precious value, if we can now and today find a lasting solution to injustice, violence and unwarranted killings of our brothers and sisters. As a human attitude, our hope for peace is marked by an existential tension that makes it possible for the present, with all its difficulties, to lived and accepted peace.

“The Igbo nation find it difficult to break free of the chains of exploitation and corruption that fuel hatred and violence. Even today, dignity, physical integrity, freedom, including religious freedom, communal solidarity and hope in future are denied to great numbers of people especially our youths whom are the innocent victims of painful humiliation and exclusion, sorrow and injustice”, He said.

In a key note lecture, the Managing Director, MD of AG Mortgage Bank, Mr Ngozi Anyogu, disclosed that peace would be achieve when the root cause of insecurity is addressed.

MD Anyogu, urged South East leaders to reset their development agenda, change the economic condition of people to change their mindset as the survivor to restore peace in the zone.

“Infrastructural deficit and perceived economic deprivation are the cause of agitation in South East. Take advantages of AG Mortgage Bank in building affordable houses for your people”, he said.