Ohaneze: Why we supported IPOB ban

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-political organisation, has said its decision to support the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by South East governors saved a lot of lives and doused tension on the region.

The organisation said the decision saved both the region and Nigeria from a major blood bath and crisis, following the clash between IPOB members and soldiers, hence it decided to throw its weight behind the ban.

President-General of the organisation, Nnia Nwodo Nwodo said people, especially youths, misunderstand the action of the South-East Governors in proscribing activities of the IPOB.

Speaking in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, Nwodo noted that the governors took the action “out of a genuine desire to safeguard the lives of young people.”

Noting that the organisation would not sit back and allow the South East to be cut off prematurely, Nwodo said without the action taken by the South East governors, the zone would still be engulfed in bloodshed.

The Ohanaeze leader disclosed that, “That was what the governors did and Ohanaeze Ndigbo is happy with the wisdom showed by our governors. I am particularly pleased with the foresight of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for timely imposition of a curfew on the commercial city of Aba.

“By that singular action, several lives were saved, and it helped to calm the tension down. Governor Ikpeazu, you are a wise man and we are grateful to you.”

Nwodo, who noted that people of the South East are not happy with their position in Nigeria, maintained that agitation for the restoration of Biafra was not in the interest of Igbos.

“We should forget Biafra and insist on restructuring.

“We must seek for peaceful ways of resolving the issues,” he said.