Southeast Govs call for probe of Gulak’s death, insist gunmen are not unknown
The South East Governors’ forum has urged security agencies to immediately arrest those responsible for the murder of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, an APC Chieftain.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the forum and Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Tuesday after a virtual meeting on the security situation in the zone.
The forum described the murder of Gulak, in Owerri, Imo, as a national catastrophe.
“It is with a rude shock that we received the news of the unfortunate death of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak in the hands of the senseless gunmen.
“We, on behalf of the people of South East, condemn the act highly and we charge security agencies to immediately deploy their officers and men to arrest the perpetrators and make them face justice. We, however, pray to God to grant the deceased rest in eternity.”
The governors condoled the Gulak’s family, the Adamawa Government and Nigerians in general.
“We assure our fellow northern governors of our commitment to unravel all masterminds of the act.
“The forum urges the public to exercise restraint and allow security agencies continue with their investigations while assuring that all those involved in the act will be brought to justice,” the forum said.
In the meantime, Umahi has described as false the insinuation that the gunmen troubling the geopolitical zone are unknown.
He stated that they are indigenes of the region, especially the young people who should protect the interest of the South East as future leaders.
“When you have infested firewood, the ants will definitely come over there,” the governor said on Tuesday when he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s
He added, “Let our people come out to speak out that the unknown gunmen are not really unknown gunmen, they are our young men and women who will defend our land tomorrow; they should stop giving themselves to be killed.”
Governor Umahi, however, commended the security agencies in Ebonyi for their conduct in the face of provocation and attacks on government facilities.
He noted that the security agencies have yet to go after the perpetrators, as they were tied with protecting the facilities from further attacks.
The governor decried the killing of some of the security operatives in the line of duty and defended them for returning ‘fire for fire’ as a means to defend themselves.
He stressed that the people of the South East are not known for criminal actions and such were beyond the Igbo culture.
Governor Umahi lamented that he had done everything necessary to enlighten the youths and discourage them from engaging in criminal activities.
“Let our people stop confronting the security agencies. Without burning properties of the government, there will be no need for the deployment of security operatives and when they are deployed, you cannot tell them how to do the job when they are confronted with death.
“A lot of them have lost their lives; they have families. We have to also know that the lives of the security operatives are the lives of our brothers and sisters, we are killing ourselves and it should stop,” he said.
According to the governor, a majority of the youth do not know the cause they are fighting for and the insecurity in the region can be attributed to three factors.
“People are being brainwashed – they don’t even know what they are agitating for,” he stated as the first factor.
Highlighting the other factors, Governor Umahi said, “There are people who go to talismen to get all kinds of juju (charms) that no gun can kill them and yet, guns are killing them, then you have the hard drugs; these are the three factors destroying our land.”
