BIAFRA: Any Form of War Will Cost Igbos N3 Trillion - Rochas Okorocha Warns

From right, Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); and Willie Obiano (Anambra) during a meeting of the South East Governors Forum 

As the October 1 deadline for quit notice given to Igbos residing in parts of Northern Nigeria by Arewa youths draws nearer, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday said that any form of war will cost the Igbo N3trillion both in properties and assets, adding that Igbos are being deceived by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, that they will drive away Nigeria and give the people Biafra.

According to Vanguard, the Governors said South East Governors were determined to ensure that the lives and property of every Igbo in Nigeria are protected.

They also resolved to take the Independent Power plant in Aba, Abia state, Geometric power, as model for power integration in the zone. The resolutions were parts of the outcome of the meeting of South East Governors’ Forum that took place in Enugu, yesterday.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Umahi, who addressed newsmen after the meeting also said they resolved to establish five Gas plants in the zone, emulating Shell BP model in Abia State.

Umahi said: “The Geometric power company made a presentation to us on Aba power plant and we commend them very highly for bringing the project up to 99 percent. Of course, they have completed the project, they are just renovating some of the injection stations of the plant and we have adopted that power plant as a model for our regional integration.

“We commend them and we throw our weight behind the success of that project. “In the same vein, we commend the Shell and her partner in the Gas project at Asa, Abia State and we as Governors of the South East states have proposed to build five mega industrial clusters, one in each state and we have signified interest to benefit from this Asa Gas project and so we have set up a committee to liaise with all the stakeholders in this respect, and I can assure you that this will assist the South East very highly.

“We have also as a people at South East Governors Forum, thrown our weight behind November 2017 governorship election in Anambra State, and appeal to all stakeholders to ensure that we have a very peaceful election in Anambra State.”

Warning against another civil war, Okorocha said: “The cloud is gathering storm, nobody is talking. Even our traditional rulers, pastors and leaders, are keeping quiet. This is bad for our people. If you will remember vividly, during the civil war, it was a similar story. That was how it all started.

At that time, we believed that the Ohafia warriors will be able to fight and eliminate the North. “Now we are being deceived that IPOB will drive away Nigeria and give us Biafra. Our pastors, men of God and some leaders in the rural areas are not speaking out against this action and the song of war is coming gradually like a desert encroachment.

We fought the war and it was believed that the Igbo will learn from it but they still went ahead, developing the resources of other regions.

“There are five million Igbos living outside the shores of Igbo land. Any form of war will cause them over three trillion naira loss in properties and assets. No sane person will spread the message of war because it does not benefit the Igbo in any way.

I urge you traditional rulers to speak against it and educate our people on the true state of things. Igbo need to build a bridge of unity across the nation.”