Kohima, May 04 2010: Apex Naga civil society groups in Nagaland have decided to escort NSCN(I-M) 'general secretary' Thuingaleng Muivah to Manipur even as the Okram Ibobi Singh government stepped up security measures to prevent his entry.

At a meeting here yesterday, four Naga bodies formed a committee to mobilise people's support for escorting Muivah to his native village in Ukhrul district of Manipur, sources said.

According to the sources, Muivah's visit to Ukhrul, which the Manipur government views as a threat to communal harmony despite the Centre's consent to his proposed itinerary, begins tomorrow from Dimapur by road.

The meet of Naga Students Federation, Naga Mothers Association, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights and Naga Hoho was also attended by NSCN(I-M) steering committee convenor and 'emissary' to the collective leadership of the outfit, V S Atem, the sources said.

The four organisations had also served a 24-hour 'ultimatum' to the PMO seeking the Centre's intervention to prevail upon the Manipur government to lift the ban on Muivah's entry.