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Oyigbo killings: S’East, S’South solidarity threatened –Ohanaeze

 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the socio-political apex organ of the Igbo has bemoaned the alleged killings of the Igbo in Oyigbo Local Government of River State. Ohanaeze said such development was a setback to the much-talked about economic integration between the South-East and South- South geo-political zones.

 

The position, however, came as the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, denied ordering the military to kill anybody, not least, the Igbo in the troubled local government.

 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, expressed grave concern over the degenerating situation at Oyigbo, where military personnel were alleged to be engaging in lawless brutality and, in some cases, extra-judicial killing of Igbo youths labelled members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, in a statement, said the body regretted that the development poses a threat to the solidarity and brotherly relations between the people of South-East and South- South geopolitical zones of the country.

 

In a statement titled: “The Degenerating Situation in Oyigbo, Port Harcourt”, Nwodo said Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide was seriously disturbed about the ugly situation. He added that Ohanaeze was in touch with the South- East Governors’ Forum with a view to reaching out to Wike for a meeting to be convened between Wike and Igbo leaders, including the South-East governors, to address the situation.

 

He said: “The misdemeanours of some rampaging youths of both South-South and South-East origins and the inciting of mindless and provocative statements that was made from abroad by the Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, which inflamed passions on all sides have landed us in a regrettable situation. “Pictures on the social media portray very inhuman and degrading treatment meted to innocent Igbo in Oyigbo. “Ohanaeze regrets that the friendly and cordial relationship which existed between the Igbo and our kit and kin in Rivers State is threatened by this development.

 

So also is the threat to our solidarity with the Pan Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF) and the entire people of the South- South region of Nigeria. “We are in consultation with the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Governor Dave Umahi, who has kindly volunteered to arrange a meeting between us, Igbo leaders and the Governor of Rivers State to arrest further drift of this dangerous development.

 

“Innocent Igbo in Rivers State, who are caught in-between this sad development and whose lives and livelihood are threatened by it, are assured that help is on the way and that Igbo leaders will never abandon them.” Wike, who has denied ordering the military to embark on a punitive operation in Oyigbo, said that his decision to impose a curfew in Oyigbo Local Government Area helped to prevent an outbreak of inter-ethnic war between Igbo and Hausa communities in the area.

 

The governor stated this yesterday when Rotary District 9141 Governor, Mrs. Virginia Major, led a delegation of Rotarians on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Port Harcourt. Wike noted that while Rivers has been home to every ethnic and religious group, some misguided IPOB members, attempted  to cause inter-ethnic war.

 

He urged those spreading falsehood that Igbo people are being killed and punished in Oyigbo to be dispassionate when acts of criminality are committed. According to him, if IPOB members did not kill people and destroy properties, government will not have had any justification to declare curfew in the council. Wike also disclosed that two kingpins of the proscribed IPOB involved in the killing of six soldiers and four policemen in Oyigbo, have been arrested by security operatives.

 

He explained that Rivers State was peaceful during the #EndSARS protest, until criminals, under the guise of IPOB, attempted  to paint the state black by killing 10 security agents in Oyigbo. “If we did not take the steps we took by imposing curfew in Oyigbo, today, it would have been the Hausa and Igbo that will have been fighting and nobody knows what level it would have taken today,” he said.

 

The governor said that though he has had a frosty relationship with the Nigerian Army and the Police, he will never tolerate the killing of any soldier or policeman in the state.

 

“I will not support criminality. I won’t because the soldiers don’t like me, then you go and kill them. And then, I will come out and clap for you for killing the soldiers and policemen” he said.

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