… Demands Arrest of Instigators
The South East Caucus in the National Assembly has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over what it describes as a bigoted anti-Igbo tweet made on the 27th July 2024, of @Lagospedia, wherein Lagosians and every Southwest stakeholder were asked to prepare for a massive protest of “IgboMustGo” from the 20th to 30th of August.
In the petition signed by the Leader of South East Senate Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Caucus leader in the House of Representatives. Hon Igariwey Iduma Enwo, and submitted to the IGP at the Police Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the federal lawmakers from the South East Region called on Egbetokun to arrest and prosecute those instigating anti-Igbo actions in the South West Region of the country.
Reacting to the offensive tweet gave Igbos in the South West Region, one month to leave and relocate their business from all South West states and for all Yoruba’s living in the South East to return home, the South East federal lawmakers noted that since the vile tweet was sent out and despite that the X account in question was deactivated on 3rd August, the social media had 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; and openly calling for the killing and extermination of Ndigbo.
The group further reminded the IGP that as the nationwide protest continued, those anti-Igbo sentiments had led to a well-orchestrated effort at pitching Ndigbo against Northerners by insinuating that the Igbo instigated the protests so that Northerners could destroy their homes.
Similarly, the Joint South East caucus noted that the tweet put out on 20th July, 2024, by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga @ aonanuga1956, claimed that the protests were being planned by OBIdient supporters of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Elections, Mr Peter Obi and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The group noted that those calls for the extermination of Ndi Igbo were reminiscent of the anti-Igbo campaigns of the 1950s which culminated in the bloody pogroms of 1966 and eventually the bloody civil war between 1967 and 1970.
‘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.
‘Nigeria is home to all of us and as the battle to keep this country on the track of growth and greatness goes on, efforts must be made to ensure that every part of the country is given a sense of belonging.
‘This is only possible when the rights of people are protected by relevant government bodies,’ the petition read.
Credit: New Telegraph
