- Osita Okechukwu said Arewa youths were not arrested by security officials as a strategy
- He said the plan is probably to make as little noise as possible about the controversial notice
- He argued that arresting those who signed the notice will only make them and the eviction notice popular
The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu has explained why he thinks the security operatives in Nigeria have not arrested leaders of Arewa Youths who issued quit notice to Igbos.
NAIJ.com gathered that Okechukwu said if the youths who issued the controversial eviction notice to Igbos in the north had been arrested, the already tensed situation would have gotten bad.
He said not arresting the northern youths has helped to contain the agitation for Igbos to leave the north before October 1.
Premium Times reports that Okechukwu argued that arresting agitators would only make agitation more popular than necessary.
He cited an example of Nnamdi Kanu, saying the only reason the Kanu has not been re-arrested by security officials is because arresting him will only make him more popular.
The Director of Voice of Nigeria said if Nnamdi Kanu is not rearrested soon, he will start losing sponsor, because the leader of IPOB only got so much support because he was arrested.
He noted that: “Arrest and detention wittingly and unwittingly make agitators celebrities."
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Okechukwu allegedly made this statement on Sunday while addressing a statement by President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo John Nwodo that the police are playing double standard by not arresting Arewa youths.
Okechukwu disagreed with Nwodo that the security agencies were playing double standards by not making arrests over the quit notice.
He recalled that it was the arrest and long detention of an equally provocative and unknown Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that made him a celebrity.
He said: “His detention gave rise to the disgusting and sordid situation in the country today. Methinks the non-arrest of Yerima Shetima and cohorts of the Arewa Youths for their arrant, unpatriotic, unconstitutional and provocative quit notice is strategic.
"Strategic in the sense that more than any other factor was the arrest and long detention of harmless, but as well provocative Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which led to this sordid scenario.
"Detention made Kanu with no fixed address became an instant celebrity. Had Kanu not been arrested his agitation could have fizzled out unnoticed.”
When asked if he is saying this on behalf of the Inspector General of police, Okechukwu said no.
He said: “I didn’t consult the Inspector General of the Police or any security officer for that matter, but common sense.
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"The security chiefs might have reasoned that it is better to allow the storm to boil over, instead of creating another celebrity. As time is the healer of all wounds.”
“I’m surprised why Chief Nnia Nwodo, our President General, who loves us, the millions of Ndigbo who live in the north more than ourselves did not worry, why Nnamdi Kanu was not rearrested after serial violation of court order.
"Is it not double standard to allow somebody who flagrantly violates court order to move about freely? If by the same token, Kanu is not rearrested, I bet you that his sponsors will thin down."
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that President of Evangelical Church Wining All, ECWA, Rev. Jeremiah Gado, has stated that Nigeria will never remain the same if the leaders of the coalition of Arewa youths who issued quit notice on Igbos are not arrested.
Gado said major crisis would engulf the country.
Watch video of Nnamdi Kanu addressing followers in Isiama Afara, Abia state:
