The joint caucus of the South East members of the National Assembly, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest and prosecute those calling for genocidal attacks on the Igbo in South West Nigeria
In a petition signed by the Leader of South East Senate Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Deputy, Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo and submitted to the IGP at his Police Headquarters office in Abuja, the FCT, yesterday (Tuesday, July 6), the lawmakers called the IGP’s attention to a “bigoted anti-Igbo tweet made on the 27th of July released on X account of @Lagospedia wherein Lagosians and every South West stakeholder were asked to prepare for massive protest of #IgboMustGo on the 20th to 30th of August.”
The tweet further gave the Igbo in the South West one month to leave and relocate their businesses from all South West States and for all Yoruba living in the South East to return home.
Against this background, the South East federal lawmakers, therefore, said that since this vile tweet was sent out and notwithstanding that the X account in question was deactivated on August August, the social media has been awash with vitriol against the Igbo with several handles, including but not limited to the following joining the call for attacks against the Igbos: @GideonAdekusibe; @kultureklansman; @jackunle777; @adex_smithjr; @Waspapping_; have openly called for the killing and extermination of Ndi Igbo.
The group further reminded that as the ongoing nationwide protest continues, these anti-Igbo sentiments have led to a well-orchestrated effort at pitching the Igbo against Northerners by insinuating that the Igbo instigated the protests so that Northerners can destroy their homes.
The joint South East caucus pointed out that the tweet put out on 20th July, 2024 by Mr President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga @ aonanuga1956 where he claimed that the protests were being planned by OBIdient supporters of the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 presidential, Mr Peter Obi and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“It is on record that the call for the protest was initiated by a Yoruba man, and that leaders of the South East had called on our people not to join the protest hence, the relative peace we are enjoying in the region as there were barely any protests,” the South East lawmakers stressed, recalling that the current calls for the extermination of the Igbo are reminiscent of the anti-Igbo campaigns of the 1950s, which culminated in the bloody pogroms of 1966 which eventually led to an even bloodier civil war between 1967 to 1970.
Stating that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and even to non-Nigerians resident in Nigeria, the joint South East Caucus stressed that in the battle to keep the country on the track of growth and greatness, efforts must be made to ensure that every part of the country is given a sense of belonging, a situation that this is only possible “when the rights of people are protected by relevant government bodies.”
