The movement made the remark in a statement signed by one of its members, Mr. Olawale Okunniyi, announcing Okoko’s death.

Okoko died at the age of 80 on Tuesday.

In the statement, the group led by Professor Ben Nwabueze, described Okoko as a most dependable national icon and revered leader.

The statement reads in part: “It is indeed with heavy heart that, we as longstanding associates and Comrades of Okoko in the struggle for a just and equitable Nigeria, received the shocking news of his departure. His demise is a huge loss to our movement as the vacuum created by the sudden exit of this great Titan of many national struggles may be very hard to fill.

“Okoko, in his eventful life time, was a leading figure and  factor in the struggle for a better Niger Delta as both President of the INC and CENND, Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta. He was also a frontline delegate at the 2014 National Confab representing the Niger Delta. A most reliable member of Project Nigeria Movement and the Patriots

“May the soul of Prof Okoko, 80, rest in eternal bliss.  Adieu!”

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This is as the leaders called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently take actions in order to save the country.

The leaders came together under the aegis of Project Nigeria Movement; the Patriots; Pro National Conference Organisations, PRONACO, and other civil society groups.

The groups are led by Prof Ben Nwabueze; Chief Emeka Anyaoku;  Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; General Alani Akinriade; Solomon Asemota; Obong Victor Attah; Prof Kimse Okoko among others.

The communiqué, containing suggested solutions, issued at the end of the meeting was signed by Professor Pat Utomi; Mr Donald Duke; Dr. Kunle Olajide, Professor Anthony Kila and Olawale Okunniyi who is the joint spokesperson of the different groups.

The concerned leaders said their meeting was informed by the need to urgently find solutions to the tide of current heightened criminal and murderous activities of bandits and terrorists which had once again pushed Nigeria to the brink of anarchy.

As a way of solving the problems at hand, the meeting resolved:

“1. That, we, in unequivocal terms, condemn all the dastardly and cruel murder of innocent Nigerians across the country by invading and local bandits and terrorists operating in the country.

“2.  That we sympathize and commiserate with all Nigerians, who have lost their relations and loved ones to armed kidnappings and murderous banditry inflicted by heartless ransom taking and blood thirsty invaders and marauders within Nigeria’s highways and Forest.

“3. We, strongly call on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chief Security Officer of the country to take visible and active measures to secure the country and to urgently put in place a serious security machinery to fish out these criminal invaders and murderers, whoever they are, and to make them pay for their ungodly acts in the interest of justice and peace.

“4. That the Federal Government, in neutralising the heightened political tension foisted by dangerous altercations among ethnic and religious interests in the country, should immediately set up a National Consultative and Reconciliatory Commission of Eminent Leaders and Jurists to urgently engage the country towards unraveling the truth about the current murderous banditry and terrorism in the country and to facilitate profound National understanding and reconciliation among the various nationality and religious groups in the country in preventing a total breakdown of law and order and unwanted civil strife among Nigerians.

“5. That Governments at all levels should immediately commence an in-depth and robust public conversation on State, Local  and Community policing towards curbing and neutralizing the present state of insecurity and killings by menacing and invading armed bandits and terrorists marauding in the Forests and Highways of Nigeria

“6. That it is imperative for appropriate actions to be taken with great speed and urgency by all concerned to avoid the complete erosion of the legitimacy of the Nigerian State and a journey down the road to Somalia

“7. That, we as concerned Leaders, pray, at this trying period, for divine fortitude for all Nigerians, who have lost their relations and loved ones to ravaging terrorist criminality in our country and shall take decisive steps to engage the Federal Government and all other Nigerian Stakeholders on the way forward in the succeeding days.”

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This is the position of eminent leaders of thought and nationalities in Nigeria under the aegis of Pro National Conference Organisations, PRONACO.

PRONACO was initiated by the Late Chief Anthony Enahoro and Professor Wole Soyinka.

Project Nigeria Movement, PNM, led by Professor Ben Nwabueze, also holds the same position.

The group made the call for national engagements on Saturday in reaction to the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

Olakurin was said to have been killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of PRONACO and PNM, Olawale Okunniyi, the murder was condemned by the two groups, saying it was dastardly and wicked.

The statement reads in part:  “We wish to state categorically that yesterday’s criminal murder of the daughter of the leader of the pan Yoruba movement, Afenifere, is wicked, ungodly and remains unacceptable and unbearable to our Pan Nigerian political platforms, PRONACO and the Project Nigeria Movement as it is capable of aggravating the already tense situation in the South-West and foisting unwanted civil strife on the country

“We, therefore, strongly call on President Muhammadu Muhammadu, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and National leader of the ruling APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, among others to urgently put a strong machinery in motion for national political engagements to prevent a breakdown of law and order over the cruel and criminal killings in South-West by armed Fulani robbers and bandits.”

The joint national secretariat of Project Nigeria Movement and PRONACO put all its allied eminent national leaders, statesmen and arrow heads of nationality and self determination groups on notice about “a possible emergency political convergence next week to address the tense situation created by menacing and marauding armed Fulani bandits in the country, especially the cruel murder of the daughter of Afenifere leader yesterday.”

“Finally, our sympathies and commiserations, at this sad moment, go to Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Yoruba leader and his family and to the entire Yoruba people, who have lost thousands of their folks and loved ones to armed kidnappings and robbery coordinated by heartless ransom taking and blood thirsty Fulani marauders in the last one year.

“We therefore pray for divine fortitude for all those who have lost their loved ones to this alien armed banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria,” the statement reads further.

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