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Tag: Igbo groups

  • Igbo groups endorse IPOB’s Sept 14 sit-at-home

    Twelve Igbo groups have endorsed the September 14 sit-at-home order of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The groups, comprising traditional rulers, traders associations, youth groups and students organisations, took the decision after a meeting in the home of leader of the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) Chief Maria Okwor, in Enugu.

    Mrs. Okwor, who addressed reporters after the meeting, lamented the humiliation meted out to Igbo women locked up in Owerri for expressing their opinions in a democracy.

    She lamented the continuous ill-treatment of Ndigbo as a conquered people, and called on the people to sit at home on September 14 to express “our frustrations with Nigeria”.

    Mrs. Okwor insisted that Nigeria must be return to 1963 Constitution to survive.

    Secretary of ECA and founder of Igbo Youth Movement Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko described the constant invasion of Igbo land every September as provocative and insulting.

    He said: “Every September, military equipment is moved into Igbo land to remind us that we are a conquered people. Next, stoned them and mayhem will be unleashed on our people. There’s no war going on here, there are no killings going on here. Igbo land is peaceful, why the invasion?

    “The soldiers should be drafted to Sambisa Forest in Borno State where killings are happening every day. They should go to Plateau, Benue, and save hapless citizens who are slaughtered daily while the government is either blaming Lybians or telling middle Beltans to surrender their land to live.

    “Bringing Python Dance 3 to our peaceful region is designed to deliberately provoke a confrontation that will lead to deaths as they did last year.”

    The meeting agreed to hold a street march in October to press their demand for a new Constitution, asserting that the rigid unitary constitution designed by the military is an evil document.

    The Army, police and other security agencies in Imo State have warned members of the sect against disrupting peace over the September 14 sit-at-home order.

    Commissioner of Police Dasuki Galadanchi; Brigade Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Brig.-Gen. H.I Bature, and other security  heads said they would confront IPOB and other separatist groups.

    Galadanchi, who described the secessionists as “miscreants”, said the proposed sit-at-home order was not in tandem with the laws of the land.

    He, therefore, advised the public to ignore the call and go about their lawful businesses without fear of any attack.

    Galadanchi said security agencies would, from today, begin “operation show of force” to sensitise the people on the need to ignore the order.

    He said: “The heads of all security agencies in Imo State are working together. We are here to tell the world that we are saying no to IPOB’s proposed September 14 sit-at-home order. Anyone who has any genuine business on that day should go about his or her business. We have resolved to protect the citizens.

    “IPOB members should remember that where one person’s right end is where the other person’s own begins; Imo must be great in our time. The sit-at-home order by IPOB is at variance with the law.

    “Anybody who tries to threaten law abiding citizens in the name of a sit-at-home will have the security agencies to contend with.”

  • Igbo groups endorse IPOB sit at home order

    Twelve Igbo groups met in Enugu Monday with an endorsement of the September 14th sit at home ordered by the IPOB.

    The meeting which held at the residence of the leader of Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) Chief (Mrs) Maria Okwor, was also attended by traditional rulers, traders associations, Youth groups and students organizations.

    Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the convener Mrs. Maria Okwor lamented the humiliation meted out to Igbo Women who were locked up in Owerri for expressing their opinions in a democracy.

    Read Also:Ohanaeze, Youth Group reacts to IPOB’s sit-at-home order

    She complained bitterly over the continuous ill treatment of Ndigbo as a conquered people.

    She called on Ndigbo to sit at home on Friday September 14th, to express “our frustrations with Nigeria.”

    She insisted that Nigeria must be returned to the 1963 constitution for the country to survive.

    Secretary of ECA and founder of Igbo Youth Movement, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko described the constant invasion of Igboland with military hardware every September as provocative and insulting.

    His words: “every September military equipment is moved menacingly into Igbo land just to remind us that we are a conquered people. Next, they will say some students threw stones at them and mayhem will be unleashed on our people. There’s no war going on here, there are no killings going on here. Igbo land is peaceful, why the invasion.

    “The soldiers should be drafted to Sambisa forest, Borno LGA’s where killings are going on every day. They should go to Plateau, Benue etc and save hapless citizens who are slaughtered daily, while the government is either blaming Lybians or telling middle beltans to surrender their land to the Herdsmen to save their lives.

    “Bringing so called python dance 3 to our peaceful region now is only designed to deliberately provoke a confrontation that will lead to loss of lives as they did last year.”

    Ugochukwu-Uko announced that the emergency meeting therefore asked all Ndigbo who are aggrieved over this endless provocative and humiliating invasion called python dance 3, to stay indoors on Friday September 14th to send a message to the world that we angry over this constant humiliation.

    The meeting also resolved to send a message to the United Nations that Nigeria will die if the structure is not returned to the 1963 constitution.

    The meeting also agreed to organize a street march in October to drive home their demand for a new constitution, asserting that the rigid unitary constitution designed by the military is an evil document.

  • Igbo groups to IPOB, MASSOB: political leaders behind region’s woes

    Igbo groups to IPOB, MASSOB: political leaders behind region’s woes

    The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) got a piece of advice yesterday – blame the political leadership of the Southeast for the region’s woes.

    The advice came from two Southeast socio-cultural and political groups, the Igbo Peoples’ Congress (IPC) and The Igbo Aborigenes (TIB). The groups said IPOB and MASSOB should look inward for those who mortgaged their future.

    They said: “The leadership of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) AND Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) to blame political leadership in Igbo land who have been pauperising Igbos over the years before blaming the North or other Nigerians for the Igbo woes.”

    In a statement by their spokesmen Pastor Okey Colbert and Chidi Obisike, the groups noted that Igbo had occupied all positions, except the executive presidency, and this did not translate to anything positive for Ndigbo.

    The statement reads: “During the Jonathan regime, Igbo constituted more than 50 per cent of his inner cabinet and yet nothing was brought for Ndigbo by these appointees, except their families, girlfriends and bootlickers.  It is these people that IPOB and MASSOB should first query before querying Nigeria.

    “What about Ralph Uwazuruike who made Igbos to be the minority of the majorities, courtesy of preventing Igbos from participating in the 2006 National Census? Is that not affecting Ndigbo today and do we blame Nigeria also for that?

    “What Nigeria has done to Ndigbo is lamentable but what Igbos have done to themselves is even more lamentable.

    “How many times do our Igbo governors and leaders make concrete case to empower our suffering youths as Niger Delta governors and leaders strenuously made case for the amnesty deal which has now seen to the empowerment of more than 200.000 Niger Delta youths and their placement on a stipend of N65,000 every month?

    “Who speaks for the suffering Igbo Youths in Nigeria and why would they not be agitating when they are abandoned by their own leaders and by Nigeria? Nnamdi Kanu and pro-Biafra agitators should ask themselves these questions and not just blaming Nigeria and the North for all Igbo woes.

    “In the house of Ralph Uwazuruike today are all manner of state-of-the-art cars and he has luxurious estates everywhere at the expense of thousands of Igbo youths who were mowed down by Nigerian security forces in the Biafran agitation. Have IPOB AND MASSOB members looked into all these?”

    “IPC and Igbo Aborigenes support Restructuring or Referendum in the alternative, but pro-Biafra agitators must ask relevant questions and put their searchlight on Igbo land first before looking outside.

  • Igbo coalition flays Yakassai for chiding Biafra struggle

    Igbo coalition flays Yakassai for chiding Biafra struggle

    A coalition of Igbo groups, Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) Tuesday came hard on elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai over his recent utterances against the Biafra struggle.

    The ECA made its stand known at its special session, attended by several Igbo leaders in Enugu where detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was elected as its new leader.

    Others elected included Rev Fr. John Odey- Publicity Secretary, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko- Secretary, Dede Uzor A Uzor- Assistant Publicity Secretary, while Chief (Mrs.) Maria Okwor, remains Matron and Deputy Leader. ECA Patrons remain, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Archbishop Anthony Obinna.

    In a communique issued after the election, signed by the Deputy Leader, Chief Mrs. Maria Okwor and the Publicity Secretary, Rev. Fr. John Odeh, the ECA described Yakassai’s recent outburst against Biafra agitation as misplaced.

    The group told Yakassai that “your claimed annoyance over the agitation for secession by the great IPOB is misplaced.

    “Alhaji Tanko should kindly provide answers as to why Zamfara State with NPC acclaimed population of over 5 million people should immunize only 74,000 under 5 year children during the anti-polio vaccination exercise, while Imo State with NPC population of under 3 million immunized over 300,000 thousand.

    “JAMB and WAEC figures year after year also confirm the fraudulent census figures; Zamfara and Sokoto states with a combined NPC alleged population of over 11 million enroll only 40 thousand candidates while Anambra state alone with an NPC population of 3 million produces over 400 thousand candidates. Man’s inhumanity to Man.”

    Insisting on restructuring, the ECA said, “the fraudulent and oppressive census figures is one of the reasons the East can no longer accept Nigeria as presently structured.

    “The deliberate asphyxiation of our people with a very wicked state and local government creation based on land mass is another reason sir.”
    “The refusal to peacefully restructure Nigeria sir is the reason the demand for secession is growing louder and louder. The demand dear sir will only grow louder until justice is done sir.

    “As for Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu and his Northern delegate to the confab forum, we say your position by opposing the peaceful restructuring of Nigeria excites and fuels the secessionists.”

    The Igbo group equally lauded the new Ohanaeze Leadership “for standing on the side of the people, a welcome breath of fresh air in comparison with past cowardly Ohanaeze leaderships.”
    Meanwhile in his acceptance speech presented by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, represented by the new IPOB coordinator, ‎Mazi George Onyeibehe said: ‎”I hope all the affiliate groups in this coalition will soon join hands with us in our peaceful and non-violent pursuit of a referendum that will allow the people decide their future.

    “I commend the ECA and strongly believe that I will not let you down. Once again, I say thank you for this great honour”.

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