The South-East Governors’ Forum and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have dismissed allegations by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) that Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezewon Wike ordered killings of Igbo in Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state, describing it as a plot by IPOB to cause another civil war.
That was also the position of ohanaeze Ndigbo when Igbo leaders met with Wike and other Rivers leaders at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Sunday following allegation that Wike ordered soldiers to kill Igbo in Oyigbo Local Government Area, with boundary with neighbouring Abia State.
The meeting was convened following rumours that Wike had been chasing Igbo out of Rivers in the wake of Oyigbo crisis, which peaked on October 21 during the #EndSARS protest.
Three police stations were burnt down in Oyigbo Local Government Area and nine security operatives killed by suspected members of IPOB, who allegedly hijacked the protest. Some of the Igbo leaders present at the meeting were the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; Governor of AbiaState, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Umahi, however, warned that IPOB was trying to push Igbo into another civil war by spreading lies that Igbo were being killed in Rivers, stressing thattheveracity over analleged killing of Igbo people living in the state, was what moved Igbo leaders to visit the state.
The Ebonyi governor, who spoke in the presence of the leaders of Igbo Community in Rivers, noted that their findings had proved that Igbo were not killed in the state, hence the need for Igbo to dismiss such information.
Umahi warned that IPOB wanted Igbo people to be murdered in another civil war, stressing that it was condemnable for IPOB to go to Benue and Rivers State to foist its flag and claim the territories belong to the Igbo people.
Also speaking, President- General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, who said the meeting had reinforced the existing affinity between Igbo and the people of Niger Delta, explained that the leadership of Igbo would not maintain silence while some misguided few who did not experience the brutal reality of the last civil war would continue to fan the ember of disunity.
Earlier, Wike said “tell your people, Rivers people will continue to live together with Igbo people. Don’t allow your sons to tell you lies. Igbo are innovative and hardworking. There can’t be Nigeria without Igbo.
Nobody should take them for granted. But that doesn’t mean you must allow criminals to spoil your name. “If I hate Igbo, I won’t appoint your son into my state cabinet two times. But you have to obey rules. Don’t allow criminals to dictate to you.” At the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo; former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia; the chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and Amanayanabo of Opobo, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, among others
