OYIGBO KILLINGS: Withdraw soldiers in 72 hours or face ICC, INC tells Wike

…I didn’t order military to kill Igbo in Oyigbo —Wike

…Wike won’t go free over killings —Nnamdi Kanu

By Davies Iheamnachor, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Chinonso Alozie

ALLEGED killings and genocide happening in Oyigbo Local Council of Rivers State are generating tension in the area and neighbouring South-East geo-political zone.

The Igbo National Council, INC, yesterday, threatened to drag Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike,  to the International Criminal Court, ICC if he failed to withdraw the military within 72 hours as the governor said he did not order the military to kill Igbo in Oyigbo.

This is as Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, decried the killings in the area and said that Governor Wike would not go scot-free.

INC President, Chilos Godsent, gave Wike the ultimatum while speaking to reporters in Owerri after alleged reports he said showed that soldiers were killing innocent persons in Oyigbo (also called Obigbo) following the outcome of the #EndSAR protests.

However, Governor Wike has responded that he never ordered soldiers to kill Igbo but the INC disagreed, saying that troops in Oyigbo were there on Wike’s order just to negotiate a vice presidential slot for himself in 2023.

INC said: “The Igbo National Council condemns the ongoing massacre of Igbo people in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State by the blood -thirsty brigands of the Nigerian Army backed by the Nyesom Wike-led government of Rivers State.

“We have noted the treacherous broadcast by  Governor Nyesom Wike regarding the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra  in Rivers State and arrived on the conclusion that Governor Wike is dancing ‘surugede’ and will soon be disappointed.

“We have done the analysis of the treacherous and unholy romance of Governor Wike with the blood-thirsty  murderous Nigerian soldiers whom Wike  commissioned to massacre the Oyigbo residence of the Igbo.

“Intelligence available to the Igbo National Council shows that the satanic alliance of Wike with  Jihadists Nigerian soldiers was triggered by his inordinate and desperate ambition to vie for Vice President in 2023 presidential race. The script is that Wike must show to the Jihadists that he has the capacity and willingness to attack and try to exterminate the Igbo race in Rivers State as condition to get the support of the Caliphate.

“The Igbo National Council therefore wishes to advise  Wike to go  back to school to read history in order to be clear-headed of what the outcome of his new alliance will be in 2023. When they finish using him, they will dump him like they dumped Adams Oshiomhole, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and many others.

“The INC therefore calls on Wike to immediately recall those blood-thirsty killer gangs of the Nigerian soldiers that are rampaging in Oyigbo, killing innocent armless Nigerians while Boko Haram is busy sacking many communities in Northern Nigerian states.

“Consequent upon the above, we therefore give Nyesom Wike seventy-two hours from Tuesday 3rd November 2020, to withdraw those murderers disguising as Nigerian soldiers from Oyigbo or we shall declare a Fatwa on Nyesom Wike and also petition him to the International Criminal Court, ICC, on offence of genocide.”

I never ordered military to kill Igbo in Oyigbo —Wike

Countering the allegation against him, Governor Wike said he never ordered military to kill Igbo in Oyigbo, describing the allegation as balderdash and politically motivated.

READ ALSO: Wike reviews curfew, bans tricycles from Port Harcourt roads

The governor stated that the curfew imposed on Oyigbo was to restore calm in the area after members of the IPOB killed six soldiers, four policemen and destroyed all police stations and court buildings in the area.

Wike gave the explanation on a live television programme in Port Harcourt, yesterday, arguing that the narrative that Igbo were being killed by the military is intended to shift attention from the despicable activities of IPOB in Oyigbo, which is a boundary area adjoining Abia State.He said: “I know that this is not the first time IPOB has used Oyigbo as launching ground. The security agencies are aware. IPOB added a new dimension this time. They killed six Army officers and burnt one. They killed four Police Officers. They destroyed all the Police stations and court buildings. What offence did we commit as a state?I imposed curfew to restore calm. I proscribed IPOB activities anywhere in the state. Don’t forget that the Federal Government had declared them a terrorist group. It is not the entire Igbo that believe in IPOB activities.”So, it’s not true that I ordered the military to kill Igbo in Oyigbo. When did I become a friend to the military? What about the Igbo living elsewhere in the state, are they also being killed? I have no relationship with the Army or the Police, I do not command them. They change Commissioner of Police every time. How will I begin to direct the Army that I do not give instruction?”

The governor bemoaned IPOB’s effrontery to rename a local government in the state and hoist its flag in a public school in Komkom Town. “I will not fold my arms and watch criminals destroy my state. If those few criminals are Igbo, then they should know that I will not allow them. They made attempt to rename a local government in my state. That alone is a signal. I will not agree to that. I know who is doing all these; who has told them to rise, protest against Wike.”

The governor stated that the state government has no regret against its stance on IPOB, already designated as a terrorist organisation by the Federal Government.

Noting that even South-East governors have never supported IPOB, he wondered why a governor from the Niger Delta should tolerate the group. He revealed that security agencies during their search of some residents in Oyigbo, saw shrines with IPOB flags and Nnamdi Kanu’s picture. He maintained that if IPOB is allowed to operate from Oyigbo, they will soon overrun the state.The governor said the government has commenced moves to replace all the property destroyed by the group during the protest, regretting that the damage has left a huge financial burden on the state. In addition, he said the state has decided to compensate each family of the killed security personnel with N20 million to cater  for the welfare of bereaved widows and their children.

He further said that the #EndSARS protest and its aftermath would have been averted if the federal government had not dismissed the alarm he earlier raised on the activities of SARS as mere politics.

Wike won’t go free —Nnamdi Kanu

Angered by the killings, IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday,  warned that all those who have hand in the alleged ongoing killings of  ”innocent Biafrans” should know that vengeance is coming.

In a statement by  IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, he challenged Governor Wike to take action and find the killers of his people instead of being an apologist to the military.

The statement read: “Everybody that has a hand in the ongoing Obigbo genocide must know that vengeance is coming. It’s not a matter of if but when. And when it does come, apologists like Wike and the Nigerian Army must remember what happened at Obigbo.

“There were riots and disturbances all over Nigeria. Nigerian Army and Police have killed and continued to kill hundreds of young people and in retaliation, young people attacked police stations. To single out the inhabitants of Obigbo for extermination is a vicious and evil undertaking and a calculated attempt by Wike to please his Fulani masters and Britain that tried but failed to exterminate the Igbo race between 1966-70. Obigbo will not die, it shall rise again because the blood of the innocent is crying out for revenge.

“The 1966 alliance of the axis of evil is once again at play. History has taught us not to forget, we will not forget. Those children in Obigbo murdered have nephews and cousins who are so embittered to the point that they can no longer be controlled. I feel sorry for Wike  and all collaborators in this brutal genocide.

“Twist the narrative all you like, nobody can stop the hand of time. When the rain begins to fall, remember I warned you. I will not write, neither will I comment on this issue again.”

Vanguard

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