COSMAS CHUKWU, Enugu
The apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Wednesday alleged that recent gruesome murder of people and violent attacks on public infrastructure were perpetrated by powerful elements and groups to justify preplanned invasion of the region.
It challenged 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.
“The President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari should thoroughly investigate this new wave of criminalities and violence in South East of Nigeria,” it stated.
This is contained in a press statement issued and signed by Ambassador George Obiozor and Chief Emuchay, President General and Secretary General of the apex Igbo body and made available to newsmen in Enugu.
Part of it read: ” In the recent past, there has been spate of violent attacks on some institutions in South East of Nigeria; examples include the Correctional Centre, 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,” adding that last Monday, day of April 26, 2021 there was an attack on the Fulani community at Igbariam in Anambra State, involving gruesome murder of innocent civilians.
These attacks according to the release,”were clinically conducted by the perpetrators and to this extent do not bear the usual and known signature of local operators.”
Consequently, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide condemned in strong terms the killings that took place at Igbariam, Anambra state pointing out that “such dastardly acts are not in Igbo character.”
The group urged the security agencies to trace the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to book,
Stressing that after reviewing the incidents of criminalities that have occurred in South East of Nigeria in the recent past, it had concluded 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”.
It therefore requested 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.
“The President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should thoroughly investigate this new wave of criminalities and violence in South East of Nigeria”, the statement added.
