From Maurice Okafor Enugu
The apex body of all Igbo socio cultural organizations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on the Federal government to drastically investigate the increasing ratenof killings across the South East zone,alleging that by the capacity and sophistication of the perpetrators, the ugly trend may be a pre planned and pre determined strategy to invade Igbo land.
The Ohanaeze’s claim was contained in a communiqué released to news men Wednesday April 28 ,after an emergency caucus meeting of the organization held in Enugu on Tuesday night.
The organization mentioned some of the heinous crimes to include the violent attacks on Correctional center Owerri,the state police headquarters and the country home of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo further lamented the attack on Federal high court Abakaliki,in Ebonyi state and the Monday,April 26 attack on Fulani community at Igbariam,Anambra state.Ohanaeze said the sophistication of these violent attacks surpassed that of local operations and tasked the Federal government to conduct an in depth investigation to fish out the perpetrators and their sponsors,having expressed fears that the ultimate goal of the group behind the crime may be total invasion of Igbo land.
The communique which was jointlly signed by the President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Prof.George Oniozor and the Secretary General,Ambassador Okey Emuchay reads,
“In the recent past, there has been spate of violent attacks on some institutions in South East of Nigeria; examples include the Correctional Center, State Police Headquarters and the country home of the Governor of Imo State all in Imo State. Additionally, there was an attack on the Federal High Court Abakaliki, Ebonyi State etc. Just yesterday, Monday, 26th day of April,2021 there was an attack on the Fulani community at Igbariam in Anambra State, involving gruesome murder of innocent civilians. These attacks were clinically conducted by the perpetrators and to this extent do not bear the usual and known signature of local operators.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide condemns in strong terms the killings that took place at Igbariam, Anambra state. Such dastardly acts are not in Igbo character. Ohanaeze urges the security agencies to trace the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to book”.
“Ohanaeze reviewed the incidents of criminalities that have occurred in South East of Nigeria in the recent past and concludes that going by the sophistication and capacity of the likely perpetrators that some powerful elements or groups could be deliberately orchestrating violence to justify preplanned and predetermined invasion of South East of Nigeria. Ohanaeze therefore requests the Federal Government to investigate seriously the nature and sophistication of the crimes that are taking place in South East of Nigeria in the interest of all”.
“Ohanaeze requests the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to thoroughly investigate this new wave of criminalities and violence in South East of Nigeria”.
