The Igbo Civil Society Coalition comprising civil society organisations and activists from the South-East have resolved “to henceforth, advance the fundamental human rights of Ndigbo and other like minded people.”

The resolution was taken at the end of a meeting held in Enugu on Saturday, June 10, 2017, where it appraised the current political developments in the nation.

The coalition also condemned “the ultimatum issued Ndigbo living in the northern part of the country by the Coalition of Arewa Youths and endorsed by Northern Elders Forum to leave Northern Nigeria on or before October 1, 2017 and the threat of violence accompanying that ultimatum.” Even so, the coalition “at the same time welcomes it whole heartedly as one of the greatest things that ever happened to the Igbo nation,” the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting said.

The coalition appealed to Ndigbo in the North “not to repeat the mistake of 1966, because of the N50 trillion Igbo investment to develop the North.”

“Ndigbo wholeheartedly accept the call by the Arewa groups for everyone to go their separate ways. We are therefore calling on all Igbos in various positions of power and responsibility to make immediate and effective arrangements for the protection of all Igbo persons in the context of the fullest implementation of that ultimatum,” the coalition said in the communiqué.

The communiqué was signed by Prof. Obasi Igwe, Igbo Academia; Comrade Larry Oguego, Human Rights Volunteers Corps; Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, Civil Liberties Organization; Emmanuel Acha, Youth Forum for Social Change; Comrade Abia Onyike, Media Centre for Democratic Dialogue; Barr. Chinenye Akubuilo, International Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law; Princewill Okorie, Association for Public Policy Analysis; Comrade Paulinus Okoro, AIFPU; Pastor Elvis Okolie, Civil Society Network; Comrade Okechukwu Orji, Centre for Youth Care & Human Rights Awareness; Prof. Smart Otu, Igbo Academia; Mazi Ikechukwu Bismarck Oji, Centre for the Advancement of Literacy & Leadership; Eric Eyutchae, Igbo Intelligentsia Group; and Nsude Godwsill, Gloxina Foundation.

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