He made the call during the funeral of Sir Albert Ikechukwu Nnamani, a former Administrative Secretary of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC), held in Ikem, Enugu State.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Akpabio stressed that meaningful development can only take place in a peaceful environment and urged Ndigbo to properly guide and mentor the younger generation.

“For Ndigbo, I plead with you to continue to maintain peace and closely monitor the youth of today. Many of them do not understand politics or development. Development can only thrive where there is peace.

“Any attempt to wrest power or assert independence through armed struggle against the Federal Government will not succeed. State power will always be stronger,” he said.

Akpabio also assured that the National Assembly is willing to support fairness for the South East through legislation.

“We are ready as a parliament to enact the right laws and make necessary adjustments so that Ndigbo can, at the very least, have an additional state and be equal with other geopolitical zones. That is our commitment,” he added.

He further stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is working to address historical imbalances, including in federal appointments.

“The President has done his best to ensure that Ndigbo are not marginalised. However, everything must be achieved through dialogue and negotiation,” he said.

According to him, peaceful engagement remains the most effective path for securing fairness within the country.

“I say this to emphasise that through peaceful means and negotiation, we will achieve our rightful place in Nigeria. I want this to happen within our lifetime. We must not lose our youths to bad politics or poor guidance,” he said.

Akpabio also expressed concern over the economic impact of sit-at-home orders in the South East, particularly in Onitsha, noting that it has severely affected trade and livelihoods.

“Ndigbo are known for enterprise. After the civil war, accounts were frozen and people were given little compensation. That history still lingers,” he said.

He added that while some post-war efforts focused on reconciliation and rehabilitation in parts of the South East and South-South, reconstruction was largely neglected.

He concluded by expressing hope for justice, praying that fairness for Ndigbo would be achieved within his lifetime.

Paying tribute to the late Sir Nnamani, Akpabio described him as a disciplined and dignified public servant who contributed significantly to the development of the Niger Delta region during his time at OMPADEC.

He noted that in earlier times, communities in the region grew frustrated over unfulfilled government promises, but said such tensions have now become a thing of the past.

The development was disclosed in a post on X on Saturday by security analyst Zagazola Makama.

According to the report, the operation was carried out on April 30 at about 10:20 a.m. after intelligence revealed that a resident had been abducted from Vera village in the Tunga Maje forest axis.

Personnel of the 244 Battalion, in collaboration with local vigilantes and forest guards, immediately launched a search operation into the forest to track down the abductors.

During the mission, the troops reportedly engaged the suspects in a brief exchange of gunfire, leading to the successful rescue of the victim.

Two motorcycles suspected to have been used by the kidnappers were recovered at the scene.

However, one member of the vigilante group sustained a gunshot injury during the confrontation and was swiftly evacuated for medical treatment.

Security sources confirmed that follow-up operations are still ongoing in the area to apprehend the fleeing suspects and prevent further criminal activity.