By CHIMAOBI NWAIWU

Urges IPOB, ESN to steer clear of attacks on private, public buildings in S-East •As IWA flays FG for tagging IPOB terrorist group •ESN appoints new commander, denies attack on Uzodimma’s country home

Nationalist and first Republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, yesterday, warned Ndigbo to be at alert, saying there is a grand plan to wipe Ndigbo out of Nigeria. This came as Diaspora Igbo group, the Igbo World Assembly , IWA, has condemned in the strongest terms, the federal government posture in labelling the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a terrorist

organization. Chief Amechi was reacting to the recent killing of IPOB-led Eastern Security Network, ESN, Commander in Mgbidi, Imo State and subsequent burning of part of Imo State governor’s home in .Omuma, Oru Local Government Area of the state.

Chief Amechi alleged that even the security agents may have a hand, using Hitler style of instigating killings and burnings only to blame the Jews, like what is happening in South East now.

Chief Amechi stated that IPOB may not have a hand in all the attacks and lawlessness going on in the South East because they do not lack the courage to own upto what they did. “In the present day Nigeria, people see the truth and they feel too afraid or too timid to say the truth. That is the problem with Nigeria and its present leadership.

The truth is that what is happening in Nigeria, not only in Igbo land is a pathological hatred for Ndigbo. “If you read the reply of Gwarzo or somebody’s reply to Chief Femi Fani Kayode, the man stated the truth. He stated what they want.

They see southern Nigeria as their slave. “And that is what is happening in Benue State now. Benue State and the South East are now places mapped out for conquering.

“However, the whole thing is sort of back-firing against them with what is happening in the North. But it is part of the programme, not allowing Christian schools particularly schools where they teach Western Education to function, not allowing Christian secondary schools to function and particularly with the release of the Almajirai who have been kept in the forest.

“The Almajirai have been excluded from the communities by the perpetrators of this insecurity and have been training them with the use of weapons in the forest and they have released them to go out, arming them with weapons and so on to attack people.

“But the Igbo man has to be very careful. I do not believe that IPOB will be cowardly to deny if it was involved in the attacks in the South East. I do not think that IPOB lacks the courage to own up involvement if they are actually involved.”

I am saying that they are not involved. They are only trying to accuse them to give a dog a bad name to hang it. That is what is happening in Igbo land now.

“I will advise IPOB to steer clear of what is happening in the South East and let the truth be revealed. Let them maintain the sanctity of their innocence.

If the ESN people are attacked, let them defend themselves. I don’t want IPOB to go into violence because they have neither the arms nor the wherewithal and capability to do that. “And as a matter of fact, who is investigating these attacks?

The Police is investigating the IPOB. Can the police investigate the government or themselves? What is happening now is like what Hitler did against the Jews, sent their secret service men to commit certain crimes and got back to accuse the Jews. That is what is happening now in Nigeria.

“Their hands are involved. I believe they are sending them to commit these attacks and burning of properties so that the impression will be that IPOB is behind it in order for them to either kill them or declare a state of emergency in Igbo land or to do whatever they like or completely kill the Igbo the way they like.”

On the South East Governors continued linking of IPOB to the whole insecurity saga, Chief Amechi, said, “About the South East governors, they will always accuse IPOB but don’t forget that these governors you have is just like handing somebody the second keys of one wing of the Central Bank, and nobody wants to lose that key.

They will not like to offend the person who handed the key to them. “They are not the kind of nationalists we were in our time.

In our time, money did not mean anything to us. It was the country and the public that we were interested in but it is a different case now. “What is happening in Imo and Ebonyi States is suspicious.

Why should it be in two APC States in Igbo land that the attacks and insecurity are very active? Something is on. People should think, Ndigbo should think. If they are afraid of saying the truth, they should involve people like me to come and say it the way it is. They held a meeting the other day, what was the outcome of their meeting? “Our people should think why it is only in the two APC states that killings and so forth are very much now.

There is a reason. Honestly, there is a reason. I am warning Ndigbo to be at alert. We do not have the means to fight a weapon war but we must have the courage to defend ourselves to avoid being killed. They are looking for the slightest opportunity to pounce on the collective groups of Ndigbo and kill them.

If it means wiping out a whole town or village, they are prepared to do that. Ndigbo should not give them that opportunity and chance to do that” IWA flays FG for tagging IPOB as terrorists.

While urging Igbo town unions, vigilantes, including Ebubeagu and Eastern Security Network, ESN, to work together for the security of the Igbo communities, IWA in a statement at the weekend jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Vice Chairman Christian Onuorah and Secretary General Oliver Nwankwor noted with dismay that government has spared herdsmen that are the real killers, murderers, kidnappers and rapists.

“These herdsmen terrorists who are the real terrorists are treated with kid’s gloves by the government while turning around to hound IPOB members who as far as we are concerned, are not terrorists, but are freedom fighters agitating for a better deal for their people.”

Expressing discomfort at the worsening security situation in the South East and and Nigeria, the group in the statement urged all the towns in Igbo communities to set up a vigorous and robust vigilante outfits to guard every part of the state.

“We support civil defence in every part of Igbo land in anticipation of nefarious activities in their respective areas of concerns”, the statement added.

Urging Igbo people to apply old school diplomacy that is deep rooted in synergy and flexibility, collaboration and dialogue, IWA noted that it was time for diversification of strategies that would allow room for multiple options at all times.

“We should always put our “smartest” men and women that are skilled in diplomacy at the helm of Igbo affairs. These men and women must be ready and willing to genuinely represent Igbo interest at the centre, Nigeria and world-wide.

“We need a wealth of knowledge in understanding of diplomacy and alliance building for the people of the Southeast to form coalitions and alliances with the people of the Southwest, South-South, Middle Belt regions and others.

“Because the great Zik and Awo alliance did not work out well in the past does not mean that the Igbos and the Yorubas cannot achieve this alliance today.

We need each other for the Yorubas and Igbos to survive in our journeys to justice. In politics, there is no permanent enemies or permanent friends, only permanent interests”,

IWA explained. According to IWA, the Igbo extraction needs multiple options at all times with one common Igbo Agenda that is tied into one Ohanaeze Ndigbo perspective.

“We need a Nigeria where measured autonomy and self-determination is front, back and centre. Ohanaeze Ndigbo should continue with a refocused push for restructuring Nigeria into an independent regional system, allowing freedom fighters, such as IPOB to continue their Biafran struggle in the same fashion that the Oduduwa group is struggling for Oduduwa Republic, independent of other groups within their struggles”,

IWA explained. Noting that Igbos need to work with the youths while avoiding unnecessary in-fighting, IWA believed that for the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to have enhanced viability and true freedom to broker the “Igbo agenda”, their funding should come directly from Ndigbo across the globe and not from governments; states, federal or otherwise. (Vanguard)

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