The Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Thursday condemned the wanton destruction of properties including media houses in Lagos as the ongoing nationwide protests against police brutality assumed a frightening dimension.
The organisation also condemned attempts to spark off war between the Igbo and Yoruba people, following the ethnic coloration given to violence.
The President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, expressed dissatisfaction with the statement by a Pan Yoruba Group, the Apapo O’Odua Koya (AOKOYA), alleging that Igbo youth were involved in the Lagos #EndSARS protest as part of plans to destroy the economy of the Yoruba people.
He said that Ohanaeze strongly believes that the press statement is craftily drafted showing a skillful use of underhand tactics to achieve a set goal which in this case is to set Yoruba against Ndigbo.
Nwodo said the organisation was ready to resist all disagreements, knowing the historical affinity of the two great ethnic groups dating back to the days of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe through to the famous hand shake across the Niger propagated by our iconic leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu.
“This spontaneous relationship built by our forefathers over the years has been strengthened in the last three years by the political emancipation movement, being propelled by the Southern And Middle Belt leadership Forum ( SMBLF) made up of four ethno- political bodies of Ndigbo, in the South East, Afenifere in the South West, PANDEF in the South South and the Middle Belt Forum in the North Central Nigeria” he said.
“Ohanaeze feels based on intelligence available to it that the motive of this disturbing statement is not only to over take the mileage covered by this group in setting their people free from the hegemonic bondage but to ensure its destruction.
“Ndigbo are focused and unequivocal about what they want in a contemporary Nigeria as already articulated in the terms of engagement of this group which is to restructure Nigeria for a true federal system where Justice and equity will reign.
“We therefore wish to refute any position being ascribed to Ndigbo even if such position is being adduced by an Igbo that is not within the realm of the struggle to free Nigeria as encapsulated in the terms of agreement of this ethnic nationalities.
The organisation urged the Yoruba people and the rest of Nigeria to disregard any outburst from anybody as coming from Ndigbo that is not as succinctly captured in the terms of agreement of the ethnic nationalities.
“For the obvious reason of having most of their businesses scattered all over the country particularly in Lagos, knocks out the thinking of an Igbo setting out to destroy another person’s economy. Only a fool living in a glass house uses stone to settle scores.
“Already, as it had always been during every crisis in Nigeria, Igbo businesses are target as happened last Tuesday in Abuja when car depots, belonging to Igbos was set ablaze by hoodlums” it said.
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