Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, on Tuesday, blamed the alleged gruesome killing of Igbo youths living at Obigbo local government area of River State on Governor Nyesom Wike and the national leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The group, in a statement signed by the President and the secretary-general, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said the duo should be held responsible for genocide and ethnic cleansing in Obigbo.
The Igbo youths noted further that Governor Wike as the Chief Security officer of Rivers State ‘will surely account for the loss of lives and brutalities in Obigbo in the near future’.
The statement read in part: “We speak the truth and act with wisdom in line with Igbo interests. Itts undisputed fact and undeniable truth that the Ikwerre Ethnic Nationalities of Rivers State are fully blooded Igbos which Governor Nyesom Wike is one of them.
“Never will Igbo Youths keep mute and watch in silence over the atrocities, gruesome murders perpetrated on the peace-loving Igbo of Obigbo by Security forces.
“We want to remind Governor Wike that there was burning of Police stations, courts, killing of military personnel and police officers and destruction of public properties by End SARS protesters in Aba, Nnewi, Abakiliki, Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri but none of the governors ordered military actions against their people.
“Governor Wike as the Chief Security officer of Rivers State will surely account for the loss of lives and brutalities in Obigbo in the near future as international human rights groups and activists are gathering information and evidence of genocidal violence escalating in Obigbo Rivers State.”
Ohanaeze youths however, tasked governor Wike to withdraw the 24-hour curfew imposed on the indigenous Igbos of Obigbo.
Ohanaeze noted further that “we have studied keenly the developments, build up scenarios of Obigbo massacres. The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu’s utterances and claims that he installed Nyesom Wike as Governor, Rivers State, is an affirmative evidence that IPOB activities and protests in Port Harcourt had been peaceful in the last 3 years without qualms.
“We had expected Governor Nyesom Wike to respond to these allegations and pronouncements of Nnamdi Kanu installing him as Rivers State Governor.
“He should be man enough to clear his name and explain why it took Rivers State Government three years to proscribe the activities of IPOB in Rivers State, hope it’s not relationship gone sour?
“Gov. Wike should emulate Asari Dokubo and explain if there was any relationship with Nnamdi Kanu in the past and stop shifting responsibility to his benefactor and Predecessor (RT Hon Chibuike Amaechi).”
The group while calling for immediate commencement of ceasefire talks between Governor Nyesom Wike and Nnamdi Kanu said, “there’s established evidence that if both sides should stop this show of forces, Igbos of Obigbo will breathe fresh air and normalcy will return immediately.
“We are confident that both sides will surely accept this pleading of Igbo Youth Leadership in the interests of peace, as the venue will surely be communicated to both sides.”