Socialite and businessman, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has disclosed that he was compelled to move his business from the Southeast to Lagos State because increasing insecurity in his geopolitical zone.
In the last couple of years, Southeast has been subjected to reign of terror, kidnappings for ransom and killings by persons suspected to be Unknown Gunmen (UGM), members of the proscribed Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the military unit of the IPOB secessionist group, Eastern Security Network (ESN) trying to enforce ‘sit – at – home.’
The atmosphere of insecurity forced many businesses to relocate to neighbouring states of Delta, Edo, Cross River and Rivers in South – South and Lagos and Ibadan in Southwest.
Speaking in a recent interview with the BBC Igbo, Pascal lamented that the fear of kidnapping and killing had driven away customers from the East, who previously visited the region regularly.
He said: “There is widespread hunger in the South-East. It is our own community members who provide criminals with information.
“Our people began targeting the wealthy, so the wealthy stopped returning home during festivities. That’s why I moved to Lagos to conduct my business.”