By Ori Martins
The senator representing Abia South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe has revealed that Ndigbo must always be ready in self defence anywhere, anytime and anyhow. Answering questions during an interview with African Independent Television (AIT) few days ago, the former deputy governor of Abia State noted that self defence when your life was being threatened could not constitute to an offence.
According to him, “We do not need a law before we defend ourselves when our lives are being threatened”. The senator was actually telling the world that the security situation in the South East geo-political zone was a big concern. Abaribe is aware of the herders challenge; he knows about the kidnapping, armed robbery and killings by gunmen.
As far as Abaribe was concerned, every Igbo must find a way to protect himself, including supporting the Eastern Security Network. A rejected man, an Igbo proverb says, does not reject himself. And so, the Igbo knowing that there is no South Easterner in the service chiefs, no South Easterner in the 14 man security chiefs even as there is Igbo in the newly promoted DIDs, thus, they must have to take their destinies in their own hands.
This is not the first time Abaribe will be standing tall in his defence of the Igbo. Recall that Abaribe and the late Comrade Uche Chukwumereije made case for the Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, to be given a state burial. Two, he was also very vocal when IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu was held behind bars despite being granted bail by a federal high court. He equally shouted and made his point when the Federal Government declared IPOB a terrorist group. Again, he has thrown his support behind the Eastern Security Network.