Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has commiserated with Northern leaders and youth over the killing of eight in Abia state, while dismissing the purported ban on cattle business in Igboland by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as mere threats.
Unknown gunmen last Tuesday night stormed the new cattle market in Omumauzor, Ukwa West local government area of Abia state, and killed eight traders and several cows, while leaving several people injured, causing angst and anger in the North.
But the Secretary-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said they have “reached out to their Northern counterparts, Northern leadership, Muslim clerics, traditional rulers, and Arewa Consultative Youth Forum over the killings of Northerners in Abia”, while assuring that such incident would not be repeated and Igbos are ready to provide succour for those affected.
“We commiserate with the Northern leadership over the death of Northerners in Abia and we sympathize with all the bereaved families and owners of the cows slaughtered. Igbos are devoted in providing succor to the families and people affected by what happened.
“Those who carried out these heinous conspiracies against humanity in Abia, the killers of Northerners in Abia are not Igbos, preliminary investigation revealed that they migrated from neighboring states and fled to their states after the attacks.
“We commended Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Coalition of Northern Groups for their quick intervention to forestall possible breakdown of law and order, especially reprisals against Igbos in the North, they protected Igbo lives and properties. We will continue to work with the Northern leadership to ensure that the interests of North and Eastern Nigeria are protected. Nobody will stop Northerners from doing their cattle businesses in the South.
“Abia state government has shown maturity in handling the matter, we advised that full compensation must be paid to the bereaved families and people whose businesses were destroyed in Abia, as it will be the balm to soothe the pains and trauma of those who lost their beloved ones.
“We dismissed the IPOB’s threat to ban cattle business in the East. Igbos are doing businesses in the North unmolested, so nobody will harass those doing business in the East, what Igbos are not happy with is the killer herdsmen, which Igbos had to differentiate between the two,” the Ohanaeze scribe said.