The war of words between the Ohaneze Ndigbo leadership and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday took a frightening dimension with the later threatening fire and brimstone on the families of President General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo and those of the governors of the five states of the South-East.
The planned Igbo Summit in Enugu by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation on restructuring was the cause of the latest face-off between the duo which began to have strain relationship following the proscription of IPOB by the Federal Government.
The Secretary General of Ohaneze, Mr Uche Okwukwu, was reported yesterday to have warned the IPOB not to carry out its threat of disrupting the summit, insisting that the summit was of great importance to Nigerians in general and Ndigbo in particular.
But yesterday IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, described the planned summit as “Fulani sponsored Igbo summit,” and warned Ohanaeze not to dare the group by going ahead with the summit, saying that the consequences of such action would be unimaginable if neglected.
“We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and our leadership worldwide once again warn Chief John Nnia Nwodo of Ohanaeze Ndigbo not to dare hold the Fulani sponsored Igbo summit in Enugu as earlier warned by the movement. IPOB warned Nnia Nwodo and his collaborators in crime not to dare IPOB or face the consequences from the youth.
“We respect and recognize our elders, including freedom of speech and assembly, but not one designed to enslave us in the deadly Nigerian contraption for another 100 years,” the group said.
IPOB further warned that should Ohanaeze go ahead to hold the summit and in the process had any of its members killed by the Army, the “governors of the South-East and Nwodo would pay with the blood of their children.”
The pro-Biafra also claimed: “We are well aware of the nocturnal meetings between Nnia Nwodo and a certain Brigadier General affiliated to the GOC of 82 Division Enugu. The same people Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South-East governors ran to and convinced to launch Operation Python Dance II are the same people Nnia Nwodo and his Ohanaeze Ndigbo are running to now for security.
“If Ohanaeze Ndigbo likes let them surround the venue with armoured tanks and Fulani soldiers, one thing is certain, the summit will not hold unless Nnia Nwodo and his collaborators kill us all on that particular day. Nnia Nwodo and his collaborators are in the liberty to call a summit to sensitize and educate our people for the upcoming referendum not restructuring to remain in Nigeria.
“Nnia Nwodo and his fellow Hausa Fulani servants will understand how enraged we are on the day of this their so-called summit scheduled to hold in Enugu. Should the Nigerian army arrest or kill anyone on that day, Nnia Nwodo’s children and that of the governors and anybody else involved in the betrayal of IPOB and Biafrans in general will suffer the same fate regardless of where they are.
According to the body, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South-East Governors Forum have outlived their usefulness. They merely exist to entrench Fulani dominance and influence over Igboland and Biafra in general. Without exception, they are all Hausa Fulani errand boys and girls.