Ohanaeze Ndigbo has advised the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris who has given 21 days ultimatum for return of all arms, to first disarm armed Fulani herdsmen before ordering licenced gun owners to submit them to the police.
The Igbo socio-political organization stated that without disarming Fulani herdsmen, it will be dangerous to tell licenced gun owners to submit them in the face of terror and attacks on innocent citizens in all parts of the country especially middle belt and South from the herdsmen.
In a statement signed on Thurday by Chuks Ibegbu the National Deputy Publicity Secretary, the body said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo will consult widely before taking any decision on 2019”.
In a statement signed on Thurday by Chuks Ibegbu the National Deputy Publicity Secretary, the body said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo will consult widely before taking any decision on 2019”.
“It will not take any decision on 2019 without subjecting it to the opinion, views, inputs and contribution from a wide spectrum of Igbo society.”
The statement continued, “Our main concern now is the Restructuring of Nigeria in sync with other progressive groups and individuals in Nigeria. Once Nigeria is Restructured , other things will fall in place.
“We want a level playing ground for all sections of Nigeria. We want justice, equity and fairplay.
“We want a Nigeria in which the bountiful talents of Ndigbo and other Nigerians will be fully realized.
“The nation as it presently constituted kills initiative.
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Barr Nnia Nwodo assured Ndigbo that he and his EXCO are committed to protect the interest of Ndigbo at all times.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo also calls on the Inspector General of Police to disarm armed Fulani herdsmen before ordering licenced gun owners to submit them to the police.
“Without disarming the armed Fulani herdsmen , it will be inappropriate to tell licenced gun owners to submit them in the face of terror and attacks on innocent citizens in all parts of the country especially middle belt and South.
“Also, two Igbo groups Igbo Peoples Congress and Igbo Aborigines have disagreed with the Inspector General of Police over his order to licenced gun owners to hand them over the the police within 21days.
“The spokesmen of the group Okey Colbert and Chidi Obisike noted that this is a grand design to expose innocent Nigerians from the middle belt and South to massacre by armed fulani herdsmen who ought to be disarmed first before any such order is given, the noted.
“They lambasted President Buhari for harboring ‘alleged’ grand Fulani agenda and his unfortunate reduction of the killings in Benue, Taraba and Adamawa to a mathematical contest of the number of casualties.
“They finally asked Nigerians to vote out President Buhari if he dare contest the 2019 elections as he is a sectional President that have no regard for human life.’