Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter has called on Federal Government to remove the terrorist tag on members Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. Vanguard reports.
Speaking with newsmen in Awka, Okeke-Ogene urged security operatives to concentrate more in the Northeast to end the unwanted killings in the region instead of focusing on IPOB activities.
Okeke-Ogene who described as unfortunate and unacceptable the declaration of IPOB as a terrorist organization, wondered why the federal government has refused to prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, bandits and other dangerous groups responsible for the kidnapping and killings going on in the northern part of Nigeria.
He said:
“Have you ever heard that IPOB kidnapped or killed anybody unjustly? Why should the government go to court within 24hrs after a misunderstanding between Operation Python Dance II of the Nigerian Army and IPOB without a proper investigation and declared the group a terrorist organization, while those with intention of tarnishing the image of the country before the international community are operating freely in the society without any government action?
“The Federal Government was totally wrong in declaring IPOB a terrorist organisation.”
“IPOB is a group of young men of Igbo extraction that do assemble when the need arises to deliberate on issues affecting their welfare and the region as enshrined in Nigeria Constitution.
“I think that what we should do as one people is for us to continue to pray and work together to ensure that the current security challenges tormenting the country come to an end and not to tag a particular group in a region that happens to be the safest region in Nigeria, as terrorist organization,” Okeke-Ogene said.
