Rising from its meeting in Enugu yesterday, Ohanaeze gave the example of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who it said was recently arrested and detained for several days without being told the reasons for his incarceration.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Media Aide of the President General of the association, yesterday, Chief Emeka Attamah.
The statement read in part, “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned the recent arrest, detention and harassment of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe by the Department of State Services, DSS.
“Abaribe’s detention was an aberration because under the law, nobody should be detained for more than 48 hours without being charged to court or released.
“His incarceration and harassment could make others with the interest of the nation at heart to develop cold feet instead of contributing ideas to the growth of the nation.
“Ohanaeze regretted that by the action of the Federal Government, the country is gradually receding into authoritarianism.”
…Criticises Buhari over comparison of Plateau killings with Zamfara incidents
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership also lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari for comparing the ethnic cleansing in Plateau State with the killings in Zamfara State, describing the situation as unfortunate.
According to the statement signed by his media aide, Emeka Attamah, yesterday, “the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo described the comparison by President Muhammadu Buhari of killings in Plateau State to those of Zamfara State as most unfortunate.”
The foremost Igbo body said that “it believes that no human life was greater than the other and that two wrongs do not make a right.
“Rather than compare the number of casualties, the Federal Government should rejig its security apparatus, stop further killings and appease the families and communities affected by the senseless killings.
“ Ohanaeze Ndigbo expressed the fear that from the trend of events, it appeared as if General T.Y. Danjuma’s outcry that there was a grand design by some people to carry out ethnic cleansing in the country and that government was colluding with them was justified.
“The group called on the government to allay the fears of the people, especially with the double standards being exhibited by the Federal Government in the handling of the issues of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the suspected herdsmen.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo observes that while the Federal Government proscribed IPOB a harmless organization, Miyetti Allah which has openly claimed responsibility for most of the attacks for just the killing or rustling of their cattle has been going around .
‘If government could label IPOB a terrorist organization, there was no reason that Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of cattle herders should not be proscribed and their leaders prosecuted.”
It stated that if the Federal Government is not being partisan, why then should it remain silent on the utterances of Miyetti Allah which also advanced the killing of their cattle in the Benue massacre for their attacks there.
“Ohanaeze is asking: how many suspected Fulani herdsmen have been taken to court for either the killings in the country or for carrying Ak-47 rifles about in the full glare of security operatives, contrary to the provisions of the law.”
It wondered what should be the punishment for those herdsmen alleged to have killed more than 200 people in a Christian-populated area in Plateau State if five Christians have been condemned to death for allegedly killing a herdsman.”
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