The
worsening plight of Ndigbo under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration
on Tuesday night dominated talks between the new President-General of the
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Nnia Nwodo and Igbo leaders in Lagos.
Nwodo
told his audience comprising Igbo intellectuals, bankers and businessmen, that
Ndigbo had never had it so bad in recent times.
He
expressed shock that President Buhari did not trust Igbo to the extent of
appointing any of them to head any of the security agencies or the paramilitary
bodies.
The
Ohanaeze chief therefore called on Ndigbo to unite so that they can redeem the
region from neglect and marginalisation by the federal authorities.
Nwodo
stated that Igbo no longer feel that they are part of Nigeria and lamented that
the ill-treatment meted on them warranted the ongoing agitations.
The
meeting with Igbo leaders held at the Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island
secretariat of Ndigbo Lagos and was attended by renowned ex-bank chief and
businessman, Dr. Paschal Dozie, Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Anya O. Anya, the
Chairman of the United States-based World Igbo Congress (WIC), Dr. Joe Eto,
among others.
He
said: “We don’t feel that we are part of this country. The statement I made
earlier was not my thinking alone. Every part of that statement was scrutinised
line by line by members of the Ohanaeze executive and we agreed this was the
situation before it was issued.
“How
can we be comfortable in a country where no Igbo man is heading any of the
security services in this country? Not the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force,
Police, Customs Service (NCS), Immigrations, National Intelligence Agency
(NIA), State Security Services (SSS), Federal Road Safety Corps and the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The impression we have been
given is that we are not trusted enough to be put as the head of any security
agency.
“Now,
if you drive to the South East, we are like a conquered people. In every major
town you go into, there is a military checkpoint. They call it Operation
Python Dance.
If they screen you for arms and ammunition, I will understand
that it is national security imperative. But they collect money from you. We
are forced to pay. “Between Enugu and Onitsha, there are 17 police checkpoints
that I enumerated on one trip. There are police checkpoints, some police and
army combined. The commercial vehicle drivers drop the money on the ground.
“They
do not care whether the Inspector-General of Police is coming in an on-coming
vehicle or that they are being photographed. It does not happen anywhere
else in this country. And nobody cares. I said it at the 82 Division and I was
arrested. I have said that at every public forum anytime I have the opportunity,
I will keep harping on this,” he said.
Nwodo
continued: “Now, let me say something about our sons and daughters in the Indigenous
Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement of r the Actualisation of the
Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) who are being killed every day.
“Who
wouldn’t agitate if you were in their shoes? I did so when we went to war in
Biafra. The pogrom was a catalyst for war. And no civilisation murders people
in a way to solve political problems.
“I
fought for Biafra in 1967. I see the same condition that propelled Biafra
existing now. I see the children restive and even threatening us their fathers
that they cannot subsist under this present political situation. I am their
father.
“Their
grief is my grief. Their struggle is my struggle. Even though I do not agree
that it is necessary to waste Igbo lives now, I believe that Nigeria is going
to be restructured in a manner that every part of it can be developed on its
own momentum with a reasonable sense of fiscal independence.
“I
think that what is being done to these boys has exacerbated them and increased
their capacity for violence.
“Boko
Haram is a military force. It has conquered some territories, even though some
have been recaptured. It has installed local authorities, it has installed
traditional authorities, it has planted its flag.
“Nothing
could be more treasonable. OPC moves like motorcade in the South West and are
saluted by the police.
“The
other day, there were demonstrations in Lagos, in Abuja and Ijebu Ode and the
police were protecting the demonstrators, but they demonstrated in Aba and
they were mowed down and killed. Nobody investigates.
“Between
Enugu and Anambra States, there is a river, 20 bodies floated in that river
for two months and they were supposed to be MASSOB bodies, nobody cared and
investigated it till today.
“In
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the other day, in solidarity with President
Donald Trump, they demonstrated and 11 people were killed.
“According
to them, the police said one person, I called for an inquiry - find out how
many were killed and why they were killed, nobody has listened to me. Do you
belong to such a country which is deaf to the sanctity of life?
“Time
has come for all of us to join our hands. My cap is on the ground. This journey
you have sent me, it is your choice to make if you will leave me to die in the
wilderness and the wild animals to feed on my corpse. But if not so, join hands
with me to redeem our people,” Nwodo said.
·
Condemns continued killing of harmless agitators
·
Says OPC members move unmolested in South West
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