The South-East caucus in the National Assembly has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, demanding the arrest and prosecution of persons responsible for the ‘Igbo Must Go’ campaign in the South-West
In a petition signed by the Leader of the South-East Senate Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and the leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Igariwey Iduma Enwo, the caucus said that the time has come for the IGP to tame those instigating anti-Igbo sentiments in the South-West
The petition, which was also copied to the National Security Adviser and the Director General, Department of State Services, was submitted to the IGP at the Force Headquarters.
The lawmakers called the attention of the IGP to what they described as “a bigoted anti-Igbo tweet made on the 27th of July, released on the X account of @Lagospedia, wherein Lagosians and every South-West stakeholder were asked to prepare for a massive protest of “IgboMustGo on the 20th to 30th of August.”
The petition stated that the tweet further gave Igbos in the South-West one month to leave and relocate their businesses from all South-West states and for all Yoruba living in the South-East to return home.
According to the lawmakers, since this vile tweet was sent out and despite the fact that the said X account was deactivated on August 3, “the social media has been awash with vitriol against the Igbos with several handles, including but not limited to the following: @GideonAdekusibe, @kultureklansman, @jackunle777, @adex_smithjr, and @Waspapping_ have openly called for the killing and extermination of Ndi Igbo.”
The lawmakers said that as the ongoing nationwide protest continues, “the anti-Igbo sentiments have led to a well-orchestrated effort at pitching Ndi Igbo against Northerners by insinuating that the Igbos instigated the protests so that Northerners can destroy their homes.”
The South-East caucus also raised concern over the tweet put up on July 20, 2024, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, @aonanuga1956, where he was said to have claimed that the August 1 protests were being planned by the OBIdient, who are supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
“It is on record that the call for the protest was initiated by a Yoruba man and that leaders of the South East had called on our people not to join the protest, hence the relative peace we are enjoying in the region, as there were barely any protests,” the petition noted.
It also stated that the ongoing calls were reminiscent of the anti-Igbo campaigns of the 1950s, which the lawmakers said culminated in the bloody pogroms of 1966 and eventually a bloodier civil war between 1967 and 1970.
“The joint South East Caucus stressed that Nigeria is home to all of us, and as the battle to keep this country on the track of growth and greatness, efforts must be made to ensure that every part of the country is given a sense of belonging, adding that this is only possible when the rights of people are protected by relevant government bodies,” the petition read.
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