The Ebonyi State Government has accused residents of Anambra of orchestrating an attempt to tarnish the state’s image by portraying its people as criminals.
It has called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to intervene and prevent further escalation of the issue, aiming to safeguard not only the image of Ebonyi people but also that of the entire Igbo community.
Jude Okpor, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, expressed the state’s displeasure over viral video clips on social media that depict Ebonyi people as criminals in Anambra State. During a courtesy visit by Dr. Peter Mbam, the President of the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Abakaliki, Okpor emphasized the injustice of branding all Ebonyians as criminals due to the actions of a few miscreants.
He urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo to continue being a leading force for unity and progress in the region, highlighting that no Igbo individual should tarnish their fellow Igbo’s reputation.
Okpor encouraged the leadership of Ohanaeze to promote the unity and oneness of the Igbo community through their slogan, “Onye aghana nwanneya” (Be your brother’s keeper).
The commissioner strongly criticized the use of social media for trying suspects instead of following the due process through a competent court of law. He reiterated that Ebonyi indigenes worldwide are hardworking and law-abiding citizens and that the criminal activities of a few should not lead to the generalization of all Ebonyi people as criminals.
Okpor assured Ohanaeze of the state government’s readiness to collaborate with them to address this issue.
In response, Ebonyi indigenes denounced the videos that unfairly portrayed Ebonyians as the source of insecurity in Anambra State. A group of Ebonyi professionals urged their state government to engage with their Anambra counterparts to address this harmful stereotyping, which could victimize innocent Ebonyi people pursuing their legitimate endeavors.
They revealed that some landlords in Anambra were already refusing to rent to Ebonyi residents, and they expressed concerns about the rise of “Ebonyiphobia” exacerbated by these videos.
Another Ebonyi indigene, Eze Igwe, condemned the actions of the Anambra Vigilante in the videos, describing them as despicable and disgusting.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer