Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has urged the federal government and security agencies to arrest and prosecute those threatening and intimidating Igbo people in various parts of the country, particularly Lagos and Rivers states, ahead of the March 18 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, the organization’s National Vice President, lamented the incessant harassment of Ndigbo and threats to their lives on various social media platforms and streets of Lagos and Rivers states, as well as their places of abode, in a statement, adding that the issue had taken on a very dangerous dimension and would no longer be tolerated.
He noted that since the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections, Igbo people, particularly in Lagos State, had suffered massive financial and material losses as a result of mysterious fire outbreaks in various markets allegedly instigated by political interest groups.
According to him, despite the glaring traceable sources of the attacks, no arrest had been made so far.
He said: “Ndigbo living anywhere in the county have the constitutional right to support and vote any candidate of their choice during the elections without fear or apprehension.
“Regrettably governments of the affected states are yet to make any clear statement against those threats and intimidation against Ndigbo, neither have they taken practical measures to reassure them of their safety on the election day.”
He warned that the practice of targeting Ndigbo for tribal and religious violence could only escalate agitations and instability, in spite of proactive measures taken by stakeholders in Igboland to promote peaceful coexistence and maintain stability.
He urged security agencies not to allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to take the laws into their hands or take actions that could truncate and discredit the electoral process and the outcome.
The Ohaneze leader reminded those beating the drum of disunity in the country that it would no longer be business as usual, advising youths of the country to look beyond ethnic and religious sentiments in their actions so as to be united in taking ownership of the country.