The All
Progressives Congress (APC) has called for calm and restraint following
recent reports of violent clashes linked to members of the Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia and Rivers states...
The APC, in a release signed yesterday
by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said it
regretted the incident at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
secretariat in Umuahia, Abia State capital, where some journalists were
assaulted.
The party, which commended the Nigerian
Army for tendering an apology and pledging to investigate the matter,
stated that security agencies must adhere to globally-stipulated rules
of engagement and laws governing their operations.
The party, however, said that the
security agencies must be allowed to conduct their constitutional roles
of securing lives and property without hindrance and provocation.
The APC also called on citizens, social
commentators, media influencers and other stakeholders to be careful and
mindful of their utterances on the clashes.
Stoking tensions by inciting utterances,
hate speech and all other forms of awful propaganda, it added, will
only push the country to the precipice.
Part of the release read, “When we see
the devastation of the country’s North East by Boko Haram, the 1966
Nigerian civil war and similar conflicts in other countries, we are
reminded of the effects of internal strife.
“We must not yield to elements beating
the drumbeats of war. We owe the peace and unity of our dear country to
the present and unborn generations. We must speak and stand up for
peaceful coexistence on our social media platforms, places of worship
and all other public spaces we belong.
“On the backdrop of recent agitations
and actions which have the potential of undermining the unity of our
country and our relationship across religious and ethnic divides, the
party cautions that we must ensure that such agitations are peaceful and
lawful.”
The party said it is in our collective interest to support and remain steadfast to the cause of a united Nigeria.
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