Worried by the present alarming insecurity in Nigeria, a great Nigerian Leader and Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has described the unfolding events in the country as extremely shocking and completely beyond any expectation and human imagination.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who is the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo and Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders has therefore called on the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Professor George Obiozor to arrange for a meeting between Igbo leaders and the northern leaders to find a solution to the ugly security situation to avoid a reoccurence of what happened in 1966.
Chief Iwuanyanwu observed that the state of insecurity in Nigeria has reached a crescendo as blood of innocent citizens is being wasted almost on daily basis in various states of the federation. He noted that the most worrisome is the recent murder of an illustrious Nigerian Dr Ahmed Gulak from Adamawa State in cold blood became more worrisome when he was on a national assignment as a Consultant to the National Assembly on Constitutional Review Matters in Imo State.
He said that since the sad event he has received calls from Nigerians from all walks of life within the country and in Diaspora all without exception expressed sadness over the gruesome murder of a distinguished patriot Gulak.
Chief Iwuanyanwu on behalf of Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders expressed deep sympathy to the family of our brother and friend Dr. Ahmed Gulak, the Arewa and other northern groups, the Government and People of Adamawa State including his friends and associates. He maintained that Gulak was a good friend of Igbos.
Chief Iwuanyanwu also commiserated with all those who lost their dear ones through the insecurity situation across the States of the Federation.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who is piqued by these ugly development recalled that over the years, Igbos have enjoyed a very cordial relationship with all Nigerians including the Northerners pointing out that as a matter of fact, Igbo as as an ethnic group are domicilled all over the country.
He said that wherever they live, they have always maintained peace, harmony and obey the laws of the people and respect their customs and traditions adding that the Igbos establish businesses in those areas which create jobs, produce goods and services and improve the economic and social life of the people.
The great Scientist and Psycho-Analyst attributed the worsening insecurity in the country to Boko Haram which launched violent atatck on Nigerian sovereignty commencing from the North East. He said that Boko Haram ensured that they hoisted their flags wherever they conquered.
Chief Iwuanyanwu commended the Nigerian government and the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for stopping those Boko Haram insurgents from overruning the entire country. He however observed that inspite of the efforts by the nation’s armed forces, the activities of the Boko Haram have spread virtually to all the geopolitical zones in the North and is fast spreading to the South.
Chief Iwuanyanwu observed that Boko Haram has been joined by ISWAP, and AK47 Carrying Herdsmen who have launched very severe and unimaginable attacks on many states and in most of these states, many lives were lost. He noted that no doubt, many Igbos living in those areas lost their lives. The Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo Elders Council said “We know that no patriotic Hausa or Fulani or Northern leader will ever support Boko Haram. We have therefore refuse to hold the leaders of the North responsible for these killings, rather we beielive it is the common responsibility of all of us to fight Boko Haram, ISWAP and gun weilding herdsmen”.
Chief Iwuanyanwu maintained that Igbo leaders are patriotic Nigerians who will never support assasination of any Nigerian anywhere in the country especially in Igbo land as Ndigbo abhor spilling of blood of fellow humans.
Chief Iwuanyanwu thanked our Northern brothers for resisting the temptation for a reprisal attack as such would throw Nigeria into blood shed and war.
He called on the security agencies in the country to embark on a full blown thorough investigation into these killings to expose individuals behind the spilling of blood of innocent citizens. Chief Iwuanyanwu prayed God almighty to intervene and save Nigeria from the present calamity.
Ben Osuagwu
SA Media/Publicity to
Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu , CFR, OFR, MFR, FNSE, FNCE
Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo
Chairman Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders