S’East Leaders Condemn Killing Of Igbos

The South East political leaders and stakeholders have expressed deep anger and disappointment, over the spate of killings currently going on in the country, especially as it affects the Igbos living in the North.

The Igbo political leaders made their feelings known in a 3- point communiqué issued at the end of their one-day meeting held at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, which was attended by all the governors in the zone including Secretary to the Federal Government and former president of the Senate, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Nigeria’s Vice President. Other dignitaries that were in attendance were Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Uche Chukwumereje, deputy senate president, chief Ike Ekweremadu, deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, as well as a host of Bishops and scores of Traditional rulers from the zone.

The communiqué announced the setting up of a committee to “monitor the development as it unfolds and advice on future actions. We assure our people living in the North and other parts of the country that we are in constant touch with the various state governments to ensure their security”.

In another development, the  Igbo Elders Forum has  urged Igbo women and their children living in the North to return home immediately.

Rising from their one-day meeting which took place at the Enugu residence of late Ex Biafran Warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Igbo  elders said their resolve to call for immediate return of the Igbo women and children  was informed by the mass killings of Ndigbo and bombings by Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.

Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, who briefed newsmen at the end of the  meeting, said the elders , however, advised Igbo  men in the troubled areas to stay back and look after their investments for now.

“We are calling for immediate return of  Igbo wives and children so that their safety can be assured here in the East. The Igbo Nation is once again facing an intending refugee crisis and our people are being forced to flee their homes and places of work” he said.

The MASSOB boss, who briefed newsmen alongside former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Justice Eze 0zobu disclosed that the forum  had set up settlement centers in the South East geo-political zones for Igbos that were displaced by the Boko Haram activities in the north.

He regretted that government had not done much to secure the lives and properties of people in the troubled areas despite the fact that Boko Haram had continued to carry out more attacks on innocent people.