PDP chieftain petitions ICC, U.S., UK over Buhari’s ‘shock’ threat, alleges brewing ethnic cleansing in South East

By LAWRENCE NJOKU, Enugu

Former senatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Enugu North in Enugu State, Chief Chinedu P. Eya, has petitioned President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Piotr Hofmański; United States (U.S.) President, Joe Biden and the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, over President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet threatening to “shock” Nigerians allegedly out to destroy his government.

In the letter to the trio, dated June 3, 2021 and made available to newsmen, yesterday, in Enugu, with the caption, “Threats of Ethnic Cleansing by President Muhammadu Buhari Against Southeasterners in Nigeria,” he cited “marginalisation, unfair treatment and accumulated injustices” as reasons why southeasterners feel unsafe in Nigeria.

He said: “President Buhari’s outburst shows his preparedness to deploy the instrumentalities of the nation, particularly the Nigerian army, against a region crying and yearning for equity, fairness and justice from their oppressor – Northern Nigeria, who go by the slogan, “Born to Rule” and who for, as long as God knows will continue to subjugate and pervert the collective interest of “Ndigbo” as we are known and addressed.

“I decided to write the International Criminal Court (ICC) because they have the responsibility to investigate and, where warranted, try individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community, such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression, which is the situation we have found ourselves in the hands of the current Federal Government, led by Muhammadu Buhari.

“I also wrote the UK on two grounds: one, because the conflagration or what was known as amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates, which became Nigeria in 1914, was done by the statesman, Lord Lugard (who is author of our present predicament). And secondly, I am writing this letter because the UK and the U.S. cannot afford to keep quiet at this trying time of southeasterners, especially with the recent unguarded verbiage by the President.

“I decided to write the U.S. on another two major reasons: one, because of the fact that it is a major player in both international politics and maintenance of world peace and order. And secondly, because of obvious bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the U.S., which is the binding cord between both nations for many years without breaches.”

It would be recalled that Nigerians had called for the suspension of Buhari’s account for saying that “individuals or groups who want to destroy his government will be treated in a language they will not understand.”

Following the development, on Wednesday Twitter deleted the comment, saying it violated its rules. (Text from The Guardian)