The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the apex sociopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone, strongly condemned the failure of South East Governors to provide adequate security for the people of the region.

The body blamed the continued situation on the perpetuation of the illegal sit-at-home orders.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem regretted that the critical issue is not only affecting the economy, but also endangering the lives and livelihoods of innocent citizens.

The group recalled that last Monday, a market chairman in Onitsha, who had come out in compliance with Governor Soludo’s directive, was kidnapped by suspected sit-at-home enforcers.

He said: “As of today, he remains missing, and no substantial efforts have been made by the Governor to ensure his safe return”.

Describing it as unfortunate, the PG said that the incident underscores the gravity of the security situation in Anambra State, as it raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the Governor’s leadership and his ability to protect the people he governs.

He said: “We find it deeply disturbing that, despite several reported cases of violence and abductions, Governor Soludo and other South East Governors have failed to provide any form of compensation or support to victims of the sit-at-home orders”.

He recalled that in the past, individuals have been gruesomely killed or had their means of livelihood destroyed simply for daring to defy the sit-at-home orders. There was the tragic case of a pregnant woman who was under labour, was burnt alive in a vehicle conveying her to the hospital in Orlu for attempting to go out on a Monday, a situation that was completely ignored by the authorities”.

The Coalition body expressed dismay that the lack of action and accountability from the governors has led to widespread fear, adding that citizens are now left with no choice but to obey the sit-at-home orders for their own safety.

The PG pointed out that the constant threat of violence, kidnapping, and death has turned a once thriving region into a shadow of itself, adding that rather than protecting the citizens, the governors have shown a worrying level of indifference to the suffering and loss experienced by the people.

He said: “It is with a heavy heart that we state that the solution to ending the sit-at-home orders lies not in the continued suppression of the people, but in the provision of adequate security”.

The body called on Governor Soludo and his counterparts in the South East, to as a matter of urgent demand, prioritise the safety of their citizens by strengthening security infrastructures and ensuring that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are held accountable.

According to them, the sit-at-home orders will only cease when people are no longer afraid to go about their legitimate businesses without the fear of being attacked, kidnapped, or killed.

COSEYL called on Governor Soludo to stop interfering in the daily activities of Onitsha traders and focus on securing the state, pointing out that traders, businesses, and the entire population of Anambra deserve to feel safe and protected within their own homes and markets

The body said that rather than focusing on threats and punishment, they urged the Governor to invest in real security measures that will restore order and peace to Anambra State and the entire South East region.

They said: “The people of Anambra and the South East region are tired of empty promises. They are tired of seeing their lives, businesses, and families destroyed under the watch of leaders who have failed to protect them. Governor Soludo, it is time to act. Secure the people of Anambra, end the reign of terror, and allow our traders and citizens to go about their lives without fear”.

The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), therefore, standing in solidarity with all victims of the sit-at-home orders, has demanded urgent action from the South East Governors to end the sit-at-home crisis in the region. (TRIBUNE)