A group of Mbaise people living in the United States, Mbaise USA, and Mbaise Leadership Forum, another group of Mbaise sons and daughters living across the globe, have expressed readiness to welcome all peaceful initiatives aimed at securing the lives and property of law-abiding citizens in the South East of the country.
This is as they expressed sadness over the increase in the spate of violence in the South East.
They said they were particularly saddened by the loss of lives and destruction of property.
While cautioning the people of the area to set their sights “higher than mere survival,” the groups expressed hope that peace would soon be restored.
“Recent events in Imo State and Mbaise have been difficult to watch,” the group lamented.
“All of us are united by our shared purpose to live in peace and security and to go about our legitimate activities without let or hindrance. And we desire to be treated with fairness and justice,” Mbaise USA and Mbaise Leadership Forum said in a joint statement.
In the statement signed by Mbaise USA President, S.O. Echendu, and Mbaise Leadership Forum Moderator, Chris Ohanele, and made available to FrontPage, the groups insisted that “the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens could not be taken for granted.”
This is as the group declared that they had the right to demand for their rights.
They however stated that their demands could be made without being violent.
Said the groups: “But on the various possible ways to achieve the purpose, and to make our just demands, reasonable people can disagree without resorting to violence.”
The groups said they welcome all peaceful initiatives aimed at securing the lives and property of law-abiding citizens whose lives had been significantly impacted by the unrests and general insecurity.
It expressed support for the call by Ezuruezu Mbaise “for our people to stay away from actions that will lead to insecurity in our land.”
“We ask Mbaise people to desist from making utterances that may inflame the current situation and further endanger lives and property.
“Social media should be used responsibly and not as a tool to cause panic. It should not be used to post hateful propaganda and incendiary comments,” the group said.
In the face of a common threat to our security, the groups stressed, “it is necessary that we stay united even as we may have different points of views. We must avoid the temptation to turn on one another.”
The groups said “given the Nigerian geo-political reality in which we are so tenuously situated, our strength at this moment lies in our ability to exercise caution and restraint.”
It added that that might well be a winning strategy for survival.
They stated however that they had to set out their sight “higher than mere survival.”
They said the people should aim to thrive, and by the grace of God would live and thrive together.
