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Stop attacks on Ndigbo in Lagos now or face our wrath, Ohanaeze warns Oluomo, Onanuga, Fani-Kayode,others

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.Ask Buhari, Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, IGP to stop the ethnic profiling

 .Guber poll a declaration of war on N/Delta residents in state

.Tinubu ‘ll turn Nigeria into a Nazi State — Atiku

 

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Monday issued stern warning to those attacking Igbo over their political affiliation in Lagos State to desist forthwith to avert a major national crisis.

 

It called on President Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman Baba and the Department of State Services, DSS to immediately call M.C.Oluomo, Bayo Onanuga, Femi Fani-Kayode and ‘owners of Lagos’ to stop inciting the public against Igbo irrespective of the parties they voted during the February 25 and March 18 elections.

 

“The atrocities against the Igbo in Lagos State should stop before it degenerates into other untold consequences. We therefore call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Inspector-General of Police, the Director of DSS, the Governor of Lagos State, as well as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to wade into this ethnic profiling of the Igbo in Lagos State and the attendant hardship which our people have been subjected to with a view to averting this impending tragedy.

 

“Surely, students of history will easily recall that those calling for war may know why the war will begin but will surely not know how, where, when and in whose favour the war will end”, the group warned in a statement titled: ‘What Have The Igbo Done? Ohanaeze Ndigbo ask the Lagos attackers on Igbo’ signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia.

 

It read, ‘’It is with a deep sense of concern that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide wishes to draw the public attention to the barefaced brutality, repression and existential threat presently perpetrated against the Igbo population in Lagos State of Nigeria. It will be recalled that in the run-up to the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Ndigbo in Lagos were subjected to inhuman treatments by the so-called “owners” of Lagos for which reason many of our people were brazenly attacked, oppressed, repressed, and disenfranchised for no other reason than insisting on their civic rights to vote for candidates of their choice.

 

“A few days ago, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, issued a ” last warning ” threat to Igbos in Lagos State warning them to stop “ interfering ” with politics in the state. Onanuga added that “this year 2023 should be the last time they should interfere in Lagos politics, stating that “the state belongs to Yorubas ” and “ let there be no repeat in 2027” and that the “ Igbo are not Lagosians but mere strangers from another ethnic group “. Onanuga, maintained that “Igbo are merely tolerated in Lagos”. Without remorse, Onanuga insisted: “ I owe no one any apology for addressing the existential threats of my Yoruba stock “; insisting that “I am after all, first of all a Yoruba, before being a Nigerian”.

 

“During the 2015 general election, one of the most influential traditional rulers in Nigeria, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, was quoted as threatening the Igbo in Lagos: “Anyone that fails to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC would perish in the lagoon”. Akinwunmi Ambode was then the party’s candidate and won that election.

 

Continuing, it noted, “In the build-up to the 2023 general election, the Baale of Igbara community, Jakande, in Eti-Osa LGA of Lagos State threatened that “We are ready to fight the Igbo, if they voted against the All Progressives Congress (APC)”

 

“In another development, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Segun Agbaje stated that the reason the Igbo in Lagos cannot have their PVCs is that they are from the South-Eastern part of the country, inferring that they are immigrants; in what Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi later criticised as a “Conspiracy against Democracy: INEC REC; Segun Agbaje’s Outburst, Other Matters Arising” and thus accused the INEC REC of being complicit in a plan to disenfranchise the Igbo in Lagos.

 

In yet another development, a notorious Lagos thug, Musiliu Akinsanya, ‘MC Oluomo’ threatened that “Igbos who will not vote for the APC in the governorship election to stay at home ”.

 

“Consequently, in the aftermath of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, Ndigbo in Lagos have had their shops vandalized and burnt down with the authorities in Lagos looking the other way. In the process, many Igbo have suffered physical and psychological harm, loss of property and death.

 

“Again, on March 18, 2023, many Igbo ethnics that came out to exercise their franchise were attacked with dangerous weapons including AK-47 rifles. While some of the Igbo sons and daughters were alleged to have died in the process, some others are in various hospitals in Lagos State.

 

“Ohanaeze wants to know why in every election, Igbos in Lagos would be a target of attack by both the traditional institutions and government agencies while the federal government of Nigeria would complicitly  watch and sanctimoniously preach that the unity of Nigeria is indivisible and indissoluble.

 

“It is once more pointed out that Lagos was the capital of Nigeria at the Nigerian Independence in 1960; just like Abuja is today the capital of Nigeria. It is of course highly inconceivable for a particular ethnic group to be excluded from the social, economic and political activities in the federal capital territory of any country or in any part of the country for that matter.

 

“In other words, instead of commendations and plaudits for the invaluable contributions of the Igbo in Lagos State, some miscreants have taken barbarism to the extreme by killing and maiming the Igbo because they came out to vote in a democratic election.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo does not want to view the Yoruba ethnic through the narrow lens orchestrated by the illegits, miscreants, hoodlums and the jaundiced half Yoruba who have met culture and civilization half way.

“This is because, the Ohanaeze cannot forget the likes of Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere and indeed all those eminent Yoruba that stood on the side of justice, equity and history by supporting Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023. Neither are we unaware of the numerous Igbo sons and daughters whose spouses are from the Yoruba ethnic group.

 

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo further points out that all the highly placed persons, such as the Onanugas who have championed threats, maiming and killings of the Igbo in Lagos have never been brought to book as a deterrent to other unrepentant ethnic chauvinists.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo underscores the fact that Ndigbo are essentially republican and cosmopolitan in nature with a very open society that admits competence far and above ethnic sentiments. In the First Republic, a Fulani man was elected the Mayor of Enugu..

“The atrocities against the Igbo in Lagos State should stop before it degenerates into other untold consequences. We therefore call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Inspector-General of Police, the Director of DSS, the Governor of Lagos State, as well as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to wade into this ethnic profiling of the Igbo in Lagos State and the attendant hardship which our people have been subjected to with a view to averting this impending tragedy.

 

“Surely, students of history will easily recall that those calling for war may know why the war will begin but will surely not know how, where, when and in whose favour the war will end.

Ohanaeze wants to let the world know that Ndigbo have paid the ultimate prize for the unity of Nigeria. Despite the harrowing experiences we endured during the civil war, the Igbo have embraced Nigeria with great enthusiasm, open-mindedness, hospitality, entrepreneurship, creativity and patriotism.

The question on every lip is what have the Igbo done?”

 

Lagos election a declaration of war against our people, N/D group

 

Also condemning the attacks visited on other ethnic nationalities who didn’t vote the APC before, during and after the general election, the group called on the federal government and the international community to intervene before the matter gets out of hand

 

A statement by the Indigenous People of Niger Delta (IPND), noted,

“We have watched with sadness the Governorship and House of Assembly Election in Lagos that follow same process with the Presidential and National Assembly Elections as they were used by some political elements from Yoruba tribe as declaration of war against our people and fellow citizens. As we condemn this act of barbarism by some political elements from Yoruba tribe, we hereby call on the Government of Nigeria and the International Community, most especially the EU, USA, Government of Canada, UK Government etc to intervene before it is too late.

 

In a statement issued by Tiemo Pumokumo , President General, IPND, read, ‘’It is important to state here that Igbo in Yoruba does not just mean Igbo people from South East Nigeria. It means everyone from South South and South East geo-political zones. The attacks of people in the Lagos elections is not just against Igbo people but everyone from the South South and South East.

 

“Most Yorubas, especially the uneducated thugs that are used to execute the attacks do not know the difference between Igbo, Urhobo, Ijaw, Ibibio, Efik, Bini, Esan, etc. As long as you are not Yoruba speaking and you are from Southern Nigeria, then you are considered to be an Igbo.

 

“It is also important to add that apart from the international oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, those with the highest number of Oil blocks are Yorubas. Also important to state that the work force in the oil and gas industry operating in the Niger Delta has Yorubas as the largest population. Our people have not exhibited any form of crude ethnic hatred or xenophobic attacks against the Yorubas any day. There are Yoruba settlements within the South South and South East and there is no time, when they are attacked during elections and stopped from voting in elections day.

 

“The Indigenous People of Niger Delta (IPND) hereby in strong terms state that what happened in Lagos State Elections is not just a declaration of war against our people but evil against humanity. All those behind the de-tasteful evil against human civilization must be brought to book for peace, security and justice to reign in Nigeria and in the world in general. Election is used to demonstrate free will of citizens and residents of a community or State for those who they want to govern them in free, fair, credible and peaceful manner. Election is not war.

 

“Eko was the war camp of the Bini tribe from the Niger Delta. It shall remain home of the Indigenous People of Niger Delta (IPND). Our peaceful nature and hospitality should not be taken for cowardice. The peace loving people of Yoruba, most especially their traditional leaders and Afenifere should call those perpetrating evils with the name of Yoruba to order before they cause ethnic war in Nigeria.

 

 

.Beware! Tinubu will turn Nigeria into a Nazi State

In a related development, the Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, says Nigeria under a Bola Tinubu Presidency will be reminiscent of Germany under Adolph Hitler’s where Jews were targeted and rights to vote and speak were suppressed.

Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said in a statement that the governorship election in Lagos where thugs asked those who were not planning to vote for the APC to return home was just a tip of what to expect under a Tinubu administration.

He added that it was even more disheartening that the thugs working for Tinubu were profiling voters and beating up those who were of Igbo extraction and asking them to return home

Shaibu said Tinubu’s ultimate plan was to turn Nigeria into a one party dictatorship based on the autocratic and totalitarian ideology of Nazism like Adolf Hitler did in Nazi Germany in the 1930s

Atiku’s aide stated, “What the world witnessed in Lagos at the March 18 governorship election was nothing short of Nazism. It was the tactic employed by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s. At that time, they engaged in profiling and used the Jews as their punching bag. Today, Tinubu has launched an assault on the Igbo and all non-Yoruba speakers in Lagos.

“Tinubu has adopted fascism with disdain for liberal democracy. With what happened in Lagos, Tinubu has elevated dictatorship, scientific racism, and Yoruba tribal supremacy and wants to take it to the federal level.

“When they see that they cannot win an election, they resort to profiling and whip up tribal sentiments and violence. They did it against Jimi Agbaje in 2015 as well.

“Tinubu has ruled Lagos for 23 years. Under his watch, the APC wins all local government elections. When it is time for governorship and State Assembly elections, he unleashes his thugs who also target non-Yoruba ethnic groups as you saw in Lagos on Saturday.

 

 

 

“Those that resisted the thugs were beaten. This is how he has maintained a grip on the state and has turned it into a one-party state. It is what Tinubu plans to bring to the centre: a Nazi style of leadership that will make Nigerians view the past military dictatorship of Sani Abacha with nostalgia. May God save us!”

 

Atiku’s aide lambasted the spokesmen for Tinubu’s Campaign Council – Bayo Onanuga and Femi Fani-Kayode – for encouraging the intimidation of Igbo people in Lagos.

He said their statements were a reflection of their principal who, two days after the elections, had failed to condemn the violence.

Shaibu stated that the Nigerian constitution permits anyone in every part of the country to vote and be voted for regardless of religion, gender and tribe.

He said what Tinubu had done was to return and reverse some of the democratic gains that Nigeria had made.

Shaibu added, “Bayo Onanuga, a hitherto respected journalist who claimed to have contributed to the fight against dictatorship, is now supporting injustice and attacks on the Igbo for daring to vote in Lagos. This is what happens when you associate yourself with Bola Tinubu. Your mind and soul get corrupted.

“For Fani-Kayode, a man who was Nnamdi Kanu’s handbag, he has suddenly become an ethnic supremacist, encouraging the suppression of the Igbo people in Lagos all in a bid to impress his paymaster. We never expected much from this Jekyll and Hyde.

“What the tribal bigots like Bayo Onanuga and Fani-Kayode will not tell you is that Ireti Kingibe, a Yoruba woman, has just been elected into the Senate to represent the FCT.”

Atiku’s aide also lambasted Tinubu’s campaign for calling on the National Broadcasting Commission to fine TV and radio stations that continue to invite Peter Obi of the Labour Party for interviews challenging Tinubu’s legitimacy.

Shaibu commended rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), for asking a Federal High Court to bar the NBC from suspending the licence of broadcast stations

He added, “Tinubu’s campaign team has already given us a glimpse of what his administration will look like. It will be about the suppression of voters’ rights, unimaginable corruption, repression of freedom of speech, and a total compromise of government agencies.

 

 

 

“For a man who rose to power over the claim that he led the struggle for the actualization of the June 12 mandate, this is another Nigerian tragedy.”

Shaibu said the police, the Department of State Services and other security agencies ought to go after all those who unleashed attacks on innocent voters in Lagos but the response from the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State that the election was peaceful was an indication that the police had no plan to arrest anyone.

He said the failure of the police to arrest the Chairman of Lagos Park and Garage Committee, Musilu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, after threatening Igbo people in a viral video was evidence of collusion.

Shaibu said, “MC Oluomo – a henchman of Tinubu – was seen on video threatening Igbo and making inciting comments. Rather than arrest him, the Force Public Relations Office, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was only joking. Amnesty International rightly called on the police not to treat this threat with kid gloves but the police ignored this.

“Viral videos show that on the day of the election, policemen looked the other way while innocent people were pummeled. Despite all the attacks in his home state where he voted, Tinubu has failed to comment. This is the sort of leadership he plans to give Nigerians.”

Shaibu also knocked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for stalling the electoral offences bill which, if signed, could be used in dealing with electoral offenders.

He said Gbajabiamila was acting out a script written by Tinubu.

The Senate on July 14, 2021 passed the electoral offences bill but the House of Reps under the leadership of Femi Gbajabiamila has sat on it ever since despite pleas from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and election observers.

 

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