Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed concern with the sorrow and agony the recent disturbances in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State caused the people.
The Igbo apex body noted that the crisis which resulted in the loss of lives and property as well as caused immense hardship to the citizens of Orlu Senatorial Zone and others was regrettable.
A statement by the Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary Chief Alex Chiedozie Ogbonnia expressed appreciation for the quick response of Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma and all the Imo State security apparatus, who with the cooperation of federal Government authorities contained and controlled this tragic event from escalating.
“The Imo State Government’s quick action and decision on a dusk to dawn curfew and withdrawal of the army brought about relative peace to Orlu Zone and its environs.
“We must recall that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in his maiden press conference in Enugu on 20th day of January 2021, categorically stated that Ndigbo are not at war with Nigeria and had nothing pending before any institutional authority that demands a separate existence from Nigeria.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo advises the people of Orlu Zone to remain calm and law abiding. And for those of us who misinterpret our tragic history, the Late Chukwuemeka Odumegbu Ojukwu’s statement that ‘the bone shall rise’ did not mean ‘conflict, violence and war’ but indeed meant that Ndigbo should continue with their history of being creative and constructive in their engagements with the rest of Nigeria.
“There is absolutely no cause, no goal, no national objectives that Ndigbo can achieve or is worthy of further loss of lives of our youths and others both in Igboland and beyond.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels strongly that we should and we must continue our struggle for justice, equity and fairness with emphasis on options that are more likely to achieve those objectives without making our people experience the kind of wanton destructions and loss of lives that Igboland has experienced in the past.
Ndigbo under the present administration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is determined to prevent our people from being victims of Nigeria’s circumstances and history of violence which they did not create nor can they alone control. Ndigbo as the President General said are builders and not nation wreckers/destroyers.”
