Don’t label IPOB as terrorist group, Ohaneze tells FG

By NWANOSIKE ONU, AWKA

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on the Federal government to unlabeled the Indigenous people of Biafra IPOB as a terrorist group

Ohanaeze frowned that those killing innocent citizens of Nigeria are walking the streets free without any harassment or hindrance, and wondered why IPOB should be called terrorists.

The pro -Biafran group was in 2017, pronounced as a terrorist group by the federal government after a joint meeting with the Military and Southeast Governors and consequently, was proscribed

But the President of Ohanaeze in Anambra State, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, said the action by the government was one-sided and should be reviewed

He said the government of the day should encourage the security agencies to concentrate more in the Northeast to end the unwanted killings by those who said, ‘ hate the unity of Nigeria’.

He described as unfortunate and unacceptable, the position of the Nigeria government, declaring IPOB, as a terrorist organization why other agitating groups, were moving freely in the society without trial and prosecution.

Okeke-Ogene, spoke during Ohanaeze’s Executive meeting at its Secretariat, in Awka, where he received support from the State exco to contest for any National Office, zone to Anambra State in the forthcoming Ohanaeze Ndigbo election slated for January,

He expressed worry about why the federal government had refused to prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, Bandits and other inhuman groups responsible for the kidnapping and killings that were going on in the northern part of Nigeria.

Okeke-Ogene said, “have you ever had that IPOB kidnapped, killed anybody unjustly? why would the government go to court within 24hrs after a misunderstanding between Operation Python Dance II of the Nigerian Army and IPOB without a proper investigation and declared the group a terrorist organization?

“And those with intention of tarnishing the image of the country before the International communities are moving freely in the society without any government action.”

He maintained that the Federal Government was totally wrong in declaring IPOB a terrorist organization.

He labeled IPOB as a group of young men from Igbo extraction that do Assemble when the need arises to deliberate on issues affecting their welfare and the region as enshrined in Nigeria Constitution.

“I think what we should do as one people, is for us to continue to pray and work together to ensure that the current security challenges tormenting the country come to an end and not to tag a particular group in a region that happens to be the safest region in Nigeria as a terrorist organization”

He, however, commended the effort of the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari and the security agencies for rescueing the abducted school children of Government Science School Kankara.

Ohanaeze’s boss urged the security agencies and other authorities also, to checkmate the activities of the Niger Republic and Lake Chad immigrants.

He said what Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as the mouthpiece of the Igbo race, said that President Mohammadu Buhari, as a matter of unity and giving the people sense of belonging, should unlabeled IPOB as a terrorist organization and pay more attention to how to end what he described as ungodly attacks in Northern Nigeria. (The Nation)