Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has called for the interference of the international community in what is going on in Lagos State, where the Igbo are under severe attacks for allegedly voting for the presidential candidate of their choice during the February 25 polls.
It also called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, security agencies and lovers of democracy to rise in defence of democracy in Nigeria.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation said it was important that these bodies and eminent persons intervened at this point because ignored injustice somewhere would ultimately have reverberations elsewhere and everywhere.
National Secretary of Ohanaeze, Okey Emuchay , in a statement, said it received reports from its Lagos State Chapter that the Akere spare parts market, Lagos, had been set on fire with goods worth billions of naira destroyed.
He said the report also revealed that a 65-year-old security man was shot dead before the inferno at the Igbo-dominated market.
Emuchay said the report was in consonance with various threats issued by both the lowly and barbaric hoodlums before the general elections that a vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) will incur wrath.
He said that it was regrettable that while several eminent conscientious amongst the Yoruba were lending noble hands for a better Nigeria as championed by Mr. Peter Obi, flag bearer of the LP, some miscreants and hoodlums were busy destroying the invaluable cordial relationship between the Igbo and Yoruba.
Emuchay said the voting on February 25 was blind to ethnicity and that Ohanaeze had restrained from viewing the barbaric attack on Igbo traders with an ethnic stereotype.
It, therefore, enjoined all men of goodwill to rise in one voice to condemn the primitive and primordial display of vile and hate against the Igbo.
He, however, said the persecution of the Igbo would not stop their entrepreneurship, cosmopolitanism and resilience.
“The Igbo are found everywhere to be hardworking. They strive to cooperate with and add vital infrastructural values to the host community. This is the ideal, worthy of emulation.”
It must also be pointed out that before the general election, various ethnic cultural groups such as the Afenifere, an umbrella socio cultural organisation for the Yoruba; PANDEF, Middle Belt, Arewa groups, etc were in the forefront of the Obi-Datti movement and thousands of Yoruba youths were deeply committed to the cause.
“Before the election, the Baale (local chief) of Igbara community, Jakande, in Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos State had made an incendiary speech wherein he stated that “only residents who have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and are ready to vote for the APC would be allowed to do business with us in this community.’ He made the remarks while addressing his cabinet on Monday, January 30, 2023.
“The traditional ruler further threatened: ‘We are ready to fight; yes, I am not hiding it; I have narrated everything to you. In Nigeria, there is Lagos; in Lagos, there is Eti-Osa; within Eti-Osa, we have Igbara community and by the grace of God in Igbara today, we can take our decision. He continued: ‘You want to vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or Labour Party (LP)? Not here.’
“We also recall that in April 2015, the Oba of Lagos, His Majesty Rilwan Akiolu had threatened the Igbo living in Lagos that “anyone that fails to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would perish in the Lagoon….and more,” Ohanaeze recounted.
The group, then, counselled that these subversive and inflammable remarks by the elite who should lead the way are at the vices which stand at variance with the principles of cohesion, peace, security and sustainable national development.