Western Sumi frontal organisations meeting with GPRN/NSCN military leaders in the Khehoyi Council Headquarters in the evening, on March 22, after an alleged military coup happened earlier in the morning.
Total silence from both Kitovi and Neokpao-Alezo
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 22
A high stakes drama ensued in the Khehoyi Camp, the Council Headquarters of the GPRN/NSCN on March 22 in a presumed change of leadership, again. The development, which took everyone by surprise, purportedly had the GPRN/NSCN led by MB Neokpao Konyak and Alezo Venuh facing a military coup. It saw its own armed ranks taking over the Council Headquarters.
At the time the coup was orchestrated, as claimed, Ato Kilonser Alezo Venuh, and the GPRN/NSCN’s army chief General Samson Aye were not in the headquarters. It was not independently verified, but only President MB Neokpao Konyak was said to have been in camp.
There was reportedly no violence during the takeover, which began around 10:00 to 11:00 am.
The two disputing GPRN/NSCN camps, one led by N Kitovi Zhimomi, and the other led by Neokpao and Venuh, maintained total silence, even late into the evening; hours after the alleged coup took place.
The motive for the coup was allegedly disaffection and disgruntlement among the military ranks over what was said to be frequent tussle for the reins of leadership in the GRPN/NSCN.
While other sources hinted at N Kitovi Zhimomi engineering the alleged coup for retaking the Khehoi Camp, which he lost to the combine of Alezo Venuh, Samson Aye, and allegedly Neokpao Konyak, in April 2024.
On April 21, last year, Kitovi was unceremoniously impeached and dislodged from the position of the Ato Kilonser in a session of the National Tatar Hoho. The charges against him financial misappropriation, dictatorial functioning, incompetence and disinterest towards the GPRN/NSCN.
Alezo Venuh, who then the Special Envoy to the Collective Leadership, was subsequently made the Ato Kilonser.
Kitovi, in turn, dismissed his removal and expulsion from the GRPN/NSCN as “unconstitutional,” and followed up by organising a “National Assembly” at his residence a month later, where he rejected the April 21 decision of the National Tatar Hoho. He was declared the Ato Kilonser at the National Assembly and staked claim to the Khehoi Camp. A new president and army chief were also appointed.
At the time, he told the media that he was intent on retaking the Khehoi Camp but without violence.
After the supposed coup took place, frontal organisations of the Western Sumi held hectic parleys as a preemptive measure against armed conflict on account of the development. In the evening, a joint team of parley representatives from various Western Sumi organisations met high ranking GPRN/NSCN military leaders inside the Khehoi camp.
The Ato Area GBs Association issued a public notice to both the feuding GPRN/NSCN camps cautioning against resorting to violence in its jurisdiction. While stating that endangering public safety will not be tolerated, it said that whichever party makes the first shot will be barred from the Ato area.
The Nagaland DGP Rupin Sharma was also reported to have visited the Khehoi Camp area, though it could not be ascertained if he could make contact with the people inside.
