FG has declared South-East red zone, Gov. Umahi claims

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State says the federal government has declared the South-East region a red zone owing to increased insecurity in the Igbo predominant area.

While inaugurating the leadership of the south-east traditional rulers council on Tuesday, the governor said the federal government through its ministries declared the area danger zone.

“The declaration of south-east as a red zone by these ministries means that what is due to us would be difficult to come,” Umahi said. “It is time for the zone’s leaders and people to collectively say no to the killings in the zone because we no longer see the real agenda of the agitations.

“The people should support governors from the zone and other leaders to permanently stop this bloodshed because we know the parents and communities of the perpetrators of the heinous acts,” he added.

There have been increased attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), including security checkpoints.

Although Eastern Security Network (ESN) the militia arm of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has been fingered, the group has repeatedly denied responsibility for the attacks.