Grant Amnesty To ESN And Recruit Them Into Community Vigilante Network

The apex Igbo Socio-cultural Organization known as Ohanaeze Youth Council has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant amnesty to the Eastern Security Network (ESN), and integrate them into community vigilante group. The organization said ESN would be of a good help in saving the South East from security challenges if they are integrated as community vigilante group.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the President of the Organization, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka; and it read in part;

“Nigeria has reached its peak of insecurity! The best and workable antidote to the insecurity in the South East is to grant amnesty to the Eastern Security Network, ESN.”

This may really be a similar demand which the Islamic Scholar, Sheik Gumi had been stressing on for the bandits in the north. Sheik Gumi had on several occasions, called on the Government to grant amnesty to the bandits, explaining that it would be a better approach to ending insecurity in the North, since the bandits are ready to surrender their arms for peace if they are granted amnesty.

Though many Nigerians actually supported Sheik Gumi’s opinion, but there are still so many people out there that seriously opposed the suggestion, stating that giving amnesty to the Bandits would be a very wrong decision by the government.

We actually know what is currently going on in the North because of these bandits, where kidnapping and killings are on the rise everyday. We also know what is going on in the south east because of the issue of this ESN, where there had been several clashes between the ESN and the Nigerian military especially in Orlu, Imo State.

This had really lead to loss of some lives and properties. We also hear about how police stations are always attacked in the south east especially in Abia and Imo State respectively. We also learnt that Police officers were killed in almost every attack.

These are always said to be the works of unidentified hoodlums in the States. But who knows the hoodlums? It is actually difficult to tell! No wonder Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State earlier vowed that ESN must be flushed out in Orlu, Imo State; which was why he invited the Nigerian military to fight against the Eastern Security Network.

If giving amnesty to the Eastern Security Network would really settle these insecurity and military clashes in the South East especially in Orlu and other parts of the south east, then I also suggest that the Government Should try the approach to know how it goes.