South East Reps Condemn Attack On Igbos In the North

HON. OGBUEFI OZOMGBACHI

ABUJA, January 16, (THEWILL) - The South East caucus in the House of Representatives today condemned what it described as 'the orgy of violence' targeted against the Igbos residing in the Northern part of the country. 
 
Chairman of the caucus, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi who made this known at a media briefing in Abuja, called on the federal government to adopt immediate measures to stop what it termed as the festival of violence targeted at Igbos resident in the North.
 
The caucus also called on the federal government, religious and traditional leaders to denounce the atrocities as well as protect the interest of Nigerian citizens with the aim of forestalling a reoccurrence.
 
“The recent shift in focus from random shoot-and-run and bomb attacks by suspected Boko Haram, to selected and targeted hits against the Igbos is a trend difficult to fathom, thereby provoking reasonable grounds for growing suspicion and speculation among many Nigerians that the attacks could be construed as a smokescreen for ethnic cleansing,” the Caucus said.

The group warned that Igbos would not hesitate to defend themselves if the "violence against our kith and kin resident in the North is repeated with disgusting regularity." 
 
“We have over the last couple of weeks since the latest orgy of selected violence began, restrained our people from seeking vengeance, but wish to state at this point that, enough is enough.

"We wish to advice that the situation should not be allowed to get to a point where citizens will have to defend themselves with all necessary means, from further unprovoked attacks.”
 
 “We demand that all stakeholders in the Nigerian project who believe in the unity and oneness of the country should rise up and take proactive measures to denounce this growing characterisation by ensuring that the selected and targeted attacks against the Igbo stop forthwith,” he said.
 
Ozomgbachi pointed out that the Igbos would not be intimidated into abandoning their properties anywhere in the country akin to the events leading to the Nigerian Civil War.
 
“If the intention of these latest assaults to our collective psyche is to instill fear and intimidate Igbos into absconding from their current abodes, anywhere in the country, and in the process create a second Abandoned Property scenario, then such wishful thinking is already defeated as Ndigbo would not raise up their hands in helpless surrender,” he said.