Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned the actions of “disgruntled scoundrels” who disrupted the political gathering of the Labour Party in Enugu State at the weekend.
The umbrella body of the Igbo described the action of the gunmen as an “unprovoked attack and disruption” of a peaceful meeting.
Gunmen suddenly appeared at the venue of the meeting on Sunday, September 25, in Nomeh, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, barking orders at the attendees, who are less than 100, in a video that has gone viral.
They pulled down the canopies and shot sporadically in the video with a man’s voice running commentaries on the goings on. The man could be heard bragging and threatening that the meeting was a ploy to bring Fulani into Biafra land and vowing that never will that happen, even as the scattering of the venue continued in the video.
However, Ohanaeze in its reaction on Monday stated that “It is inconceivable that at a time eminent persons and groups from all over the world are embracing the Labour Party as the quintessence of equity, justice, hope, economic emancipation, social equity and inter-ethnic unity in Nigeria, some disgruntled scoundrels are busy disrupting their meetings at the grassroots in the South East.”
Ohanaeze, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, vehemently condemned the actions of the gunmen, saying that the attack “sends a very wrong signal about the very core essence for which the Igbo are known.”
Ohanaeze equally warned that “this should be the last time such incidents will be recorded in any part of Igbo land.” It noted that the character of social structure in Igbo land imposes huge responsibilities on the traditional rulers, presidents-general of town unions, the community vigilantes, and ultimately the chairmen of the local governments as the chief security officers, and therefore, urged “all the security officers at each unit of Igbo administration to ensure that there will never be a repeat of such irresponsible, unwarranted and shameful embarrassment to the Igbo.”
Ohanaeze added that political parties of all persuasions are free to market their manifestoes and canvass for votes in all parts of the country; warning that “nothing in the wildest imagination should compel the so-called unknown gunmen or the vile partisans masquerading as political leaders to employ the use of thugs to disrupt or attack political meetings in Igbo land.
“The uninitiated may not realize the consequences that await the renegades that have made themselves the willing tools to antagonize the Igbo spirit. On the other hand, if one must work for his party or a candidate of his choice, such narrow interests must never go the extra mile to jeopardize the general Igbo interest,” Ohanaeze warned.
