Why I Won’t Condemn ESN Over Attacks in South-East- Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi says he would not condemn the armed wing of Indeginous People of Biafra, Eastern Security Network (ESN), over attacks in South-East because he is not sure they are behind the attacks. 

Asked if he would condemn the ESN over incessant attacks on public facilities and people in the South-East region amid agitation for Biafra Republic, Mr Obi said “no I cannot condemn. Because I’m not sure who is doing what.”

“You cannot just be condemning people. You cannot only condemn people when there is a process in which they have said this person has done this,” Mr Obi added.

The former Anambra governor disclosed this in a presidential town hall televised on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Monday night. 

Speaking on his plan to dialogue with agitators across the country if elected, Mr Obi said “everybody knows my position on agitation. I’ve said I will dialogue with all agitators. Everywhere in the country is full of agitation. It is the effect of leadership failure over the years. There is nothing wrong with agitation. We will dialogue with agitators.” 

Eastern Nigeria has been rocked by insecurity as separatist agitations spearheaded by outlawed Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) remained rife.

The extraordinary rendition of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya in June 2021 by the Buhari regime ramped up onslaughts by unknown gunmen around South-East.

The unknown gunmen continued to attack security agents and public facilities while disrupting economic and commercial activities in the region. 

In September, Anambra governor Chukwuma Soludo said Igbos are behind insecurity in Anambra State, dismissing as “hoax” the notion that insecurity in the South-East is caused by “invaders”.