The Anambra State Chairman of the apex Igbo Social-Cultural Organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Afam Okeke-Ogene, on has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to remove the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), from the list of terrorist organisations.
He said that rather than tagging IPOB as a terrorist organization, what the government should do is to intensify effort in freeing the North East and North West from the rampage by bandits, Boko Haram and others who are the real terrorists.
Speaking to newsmen after the organisation’s State Executive Committee meeting held at the Ohanaeze State Secretariat, Awka, Okeke-Ogene, described as unfortunate and unacceptable the position of Nigeria government, declaring IPOB, as a terrorist organization while other agitating groups, especially in the northern part of Nigeria that specialized in kidnapping and killing of innocent Nigerians on daily basis are moving freely in the society without trial and prosecution.
Okeke-Ogene, expressed worry, why the federal government has refused to try and prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, bandits and other inhuman groups responsible for the kidnapping and killings that is currently ongoing in the northern part of Nigeria.
In his words, “Have you ever heard 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 members without a proper investigation and declared the group a terrorist organization while those with intention of tarnishing the image of the country before the International communities are steering freely in the society without any government action.
He defined 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 happen to be the most safest region in Nigeria as terrorist organization.
Okeke-Ogene, said what Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as the mouthpiece of the Igbo race, is saying is that the Government of President Mohammadu Buhari, as a matter of unity and sense of belonging, should unlabel IPOB as a terrorist organization and pay more attention on how to end the ungodly attacks in the Northern Nigeria.
The members during the meeting received unalloyed support from the state executive council to contest for any national Office zoned to Anambra State in the forthcoming Ohanaeze Ndigbo election slated for January, 2021.
