South East Senators under the aegis of South-East Caucus in the National Assembly have condemned the planned commencement of Operation Python Dance in the region, claiming that the deployment of soldiers to the region amounts to a siege. The Chairman of the Caucus, Sen. Enyinna Abaribe made the position of the group known in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja.
He called for the immediate withdrawal of soldiers from the region to pave way for further dialogue, lamenting that the operation was ill-timed, as the Caucus was already engaging the leadership of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).
“We had hoped that our ongoing engagement with the group would be given a chance but here we are with a hurried military action deep into a highly populated area with high propensity for casualty, which occurrence would rather escalate the already tense situation. It is more worrisome that military operation, ‘Python Dance 2,’ restricted to the South-East in a peace time, has no doubt fouled the environment and sent strong signal that the region is under siege, which should not be so in a democracy."
“We, therefore, urge extreme caution and advise the military to de-escalate the situation and choose the best operational modus that will not only guaranty the safety of Nigerians but also enhance national unity. Nigeria is not at war, people are only exercising their constitutional and universally guaranteed rights, so far they are carrying on in a manner that has never given room to violence which could warrant a wholesale military expedition."
