Ohanaeze Youths Decry Army Harassment of Home-bound Igbos at Onitsha
30 Dec 2015
Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia
Following the harrowing experience that Igbos returning home for Christmas and New Year celebrations have been passing through in the hands of soldiers deployed to Onitsha Bridge head, the Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) has called for the end to the harassment of innocent people.
The OYC made the call on Wednesday in a press release jointly signed by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and National secretary, Okwu Nnabuike.
They noted that the officers and men of the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Onitsha “appear to have an ethnic agenda” in that town.
“In the past one month these raw soldiers have killed more than twenty (20) unarmed Igbo youths. This time around they waylay Igbos returning home for Xmas and New Year holidays and rough handle a lot of them,” the OYC lamented.
According to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing, the Nigerian troops at Onitsha have been behaving like an army of occupation in an otherwise peaceful commercial city thereby making it difficult for people to exercise their freedom of movement.
It questioned the rationale for subjecting home bound Ndigbo to harassment and intimidation, saying that the authorities should explain if it has become unlawful for Ndigbo to return home for the annual yuletide celebrations.
Said OYC: “We can no longer tolerate this brazen act in our own land (as) we are neither at war nor a conquered people. Mr. President should intervene in this matter before it turns into another thing. We have the right to protect the dignity of our people."
Kanu’s Family, IPOB Refute Alleged Apology by Detained Activist
30 Dec 2015
Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia
The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the family of detained Biafra activist, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday debunked media reports that the IPOB leader had apologized to President Muhammadu Buhari over Biafra agitation.
The alleged apology by Kanu was reported in a national newspaper on Wednesday, thereby creating the impression in the minds of his followers that he has recanted.
But in a swift reaction IPOB vehemently denied the media report, calling it "a blatant lie and cheap propaganda by its sponsors to create the wrong impression that Kanu is backing out of the Biafran project". It pointed out that Kanu has never referred to Mr. President as a terrorist hence the issue of apologizing to him could not have arisen, adding that the media report should be disregarded.
In the statement issued by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, made available to journalists in Umuahia, the pro-Biafra organization said that it was obvious that the alleged apology was planted in the said newspaper by the Federal Government to weaken Biafran agitators.
"The purported report that Kanu has apologised to Buhari over Biafra is not only a tissue of lies but a lame attempt by the enemies of Biafra to cause disaffection among the agitators.
Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia
Following the harrowing experience that Igbos returning home for Christmas and New Year celebrations have been passing through in the hands of soldiers deployed to Onitsha Bridge head, the Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) has called for the end to the harassment of innocent people.
The OYC made the call on Wednesday in a press release jointly signed by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and National secretary, Okwu Nnabuike.
They noted that the officers and men of the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Onitsha “appear to have an ethnic agenda” in that town.
“In the past one month these raw soldiers have killed more than twenty (20) unarmed Igbo youths. This time around they waylay Igbos returning home for Xmas and New Year holidays and rough handle a lot of them,” the OYC lamented.
According to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing, the Nigerian troops at Onitsha have been behaving like an army of occupation in an otherwise peaceful commercial city thereby making it difficult for people to exercise their freedom of movement.
It questioned the rationale for subjecting home bound Ndigbo to harassment and intimidation, saying that the authorities should explain if it has become unlawful for Ndigbo to return home for the annual yuletide celebrations.
Said OYC: “We can no longer tolerate this brazen act in our own land (as) we are neither at war nor a conquered people. Mr. President should intervene in this matter before it turns into another thing. We have the right to protect the dignity of our people."
Kanu’s Family, IPOB Refute Alleged Apology by Detained Activist
30 Dec 2015
Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia
The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the family of detained Biafra activist, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday debunked media reports that the IPOB leader had apologized to President Muhammadu Buhari over Biafra agitation.
The alleged apology by Kanu was reported in a national newspaper on Wednesday, thereby creating the impression in the minds of his followers that he has recanted.
But in a swift reaction IPOB vehemently denied the media report, calling it "a blatant lie and cheap propaganda by its sponsors to create the wrong impression that Kanu is backing out of the Biafran project". It pointed out that Kanu has never referred to Mr. President as a terrorist hence the issue of apologizing to him could not have arisen, adding that the media report should be disregarded.
In the statement issued by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, made available to journalists in Umuahia, the pro-Biafra organization said that it was obvious that the alleged apology was planted in the said newspaper by the Federal Government to weaken Biafran agitators.
"The purported report that Kanu has apologised to Buhari over Biafra is not only a tissue of lies but a lame attempt by the enemies of Biafra to cause disaffection among the agitators.
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