L-R: Anyim Pius Anyim, Imo State Deputy Governor, Prof Placid Njoku, Governor Hope Uzodinma, wife of the Governor, Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof George Obiozor, HRM Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Obi of Onitsha), Dr. Ikedi Ohakim and Chief Nnia Nwodo at the reception for Obiozor by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide President General at the Banquet Hall of the Imo State Government...weekend.
South-East killing: Ohanaeze frowns at Buhari’s statement
From Chinedu Nwafor Abakaliki
The Igbo sociocultural organization worldwide, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has frowned against President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that South East was a haven for terrorists that attack non-indigenes and law enforcement officials.
Ohanaeze described as unfair the Presidency’s statement implying that the insecurity was persisting because the leaders had not forcefully spoken.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor who spoke through Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia,the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, stated this while reacting to various media publications where Buhari in release issued by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, condemned the recent attacks against non-indigenes and law enforcement officials by terrorists in the South East.
The statement by Shehu urged “community and religious leaders to speak more forcefully against the killings, stand up and defend the ethos of our cultural and religious heritage.Those who know should point at specific people who did this.”
But Prof Obiozor in his reaction to Shehu’s statement, said “This is very unfair to the Igbo, especially when the presidency knows the root cause and the nature of the insecurity in the South East.
“It needs be added that the solution to the insecurity in the South East lies in the enormous powers of the presidency.
“The above remarks by the presidency appear to have ignored the prolonged open war with the Boko Haram in the North East; the Banditry in the North West, especially in Katsina State; the Fulani Herdsmen invasion of several communities in the Middle Belt region; the Church massacre at Owo; the daily kidnappings on our highways; the Kaduna-Abuja train abduction among others,” he said
Obiozor said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide also joins the Presidency and indeed the good people of Nigeria in condemning this dastardly act that occurred at Imo State, South East of Nigeria.
“Ohanaeze has repeatedly explained that amongst the Igbo, human life is very sacred. The sanctity of life is so elevated that killing of a human being in whatever circumstance is considered an abomination.
“In fact it is not in the character of the Igbo to kill in whatever disguise. These recent developments are indeed very much alien to the reflexes, culture and norms of the South East.
“We have often called on the Nigerian security operatives to ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are brought to book as a deterrent to others. Surely, the failure of the Nigerian security agents to fish out the criminals cannot be blamed on the Igbo.
“In other words, when insecurity manifests in the North West, it is a national problem; but when on the other hand, it occurs in the South East, it is blamed on the inability of the “community and religious leaders to speak more forcefully against the killings and to stand up and defend the ethos of the nation’s cultural and religious heritage”.
“I can state without any fear of contradiction that the Igbo possess the greatest wanderlust as well as the most hospitable dispositions amongst the various ethnics in the world. The non-indigenes in the South East enjoy untrammeled friendliness, inter-ethnic assimilation and conducive business environment; what happened to the non-indigenes in the South East is most regrettable as part of the current national calamity,” he said.
