Killings: Igbo move to demand reparations

Apex Igbo body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, set up a committee to look into the issue of reparations due to Ndigbo following a series of killings and deprivations from the civil war period till date.

The committee which is headed by First Republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, is one of the 21 committees which the Chief Garry Igariwey-led executive of Ohanaeze has set up to handle various issues affecting the Igbo nation.

Briefing newsmen yesterday after the Ime-Obi meeting of Ohanaeze at its National Secretariat in Enugu, President General of the Igbo umbrella organization, Chief Igariwey said the reparation committee was expected to seek redress where necessary from the federal government on the resources due to Ndigbo which were denied in the past.
“The reparation will be a blanket one to discuss all issues that require discussion on reparation including royalties accruing from delineation of oil wells and the rest.

When asked by newsmen if the reparations will cover the losses of the civil war, the Ohaneze president said; “It will be all-inclusive; all issues that require reparations. The details will be given in due course,” he said.

Igariwey said that the Ime-Obi, which is the highest decision making organ of Ohanaeze, also discussed extensively about the bomb blasts in Kano and the killings in other places in Nigeria.

“We condemn the killing of Nigerians in the mosques; we also condemn the killing of Nigerians in other places in the North,” he said.

On the deportation of Igbo’s from Lagos, the Ohanaeze leader said that the matter was also discussed at the meeting and “we have asked that further comments should be restrained.”

He said that Ohanaeze would take appropriate measures to address the issue while appealing to people to remain calm in order not to expand the problem on ground.

“Ime-Obi also condemns the abuse of herdsmen on our farms and communities especially in the South East. Before this time, Ime-obi had condemned it but since there has been no change in attitude, we re-emphasize the need for Ohanaeze to take appropriate actions to curb the excesses of the herdsmen. We condemn the attitude of allowing free ranging cattles into people’s farms, he said.

On the National Development Plan which is a 30-year infrastructure development programme by the Federal government, Igariwey said that the meeting agreed that the time given for appraising the report was too short for proper input and assessment.

“We, therefore, agreed that there was need for a study group to look at the draft and to make appropriate suggestions to the Agency/Ministry responsible to ensure that the interest of Ndigbo is well protected while our sons in the legislature, the government and all agencies are put on the alert to follow the process and progress of the developed plan,” he said.

On the forthcoming Igbo Day celebration, Igariwey stated that September 29, is usually earmarked for the Igbo Day but this year’s would be different because “we have a summit which will lead into the Igbo Day proper where the Igbo positions on many national issues now and in the future would be made public.”

The meeting was attended by former president-generals of Ohanaeze, Justice Eze Ozobu and Dr Dozie Ikedife, Chairman South East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, Eze Owerri, HRH Emmanuel Njemanze, pioneer members of Ohanaeze including Eze Desmond Ogugua and Chief Mbazulike Amechi.

Others present include Senator Hope Uzodimma, Eze Gibson Nwosu, Eze Uzu Awka, Dr. Offia Nwali, Professor ABC Nwosu, Professor Uzodimma Nwala, Professor Jude Njoku, Professor Emeka Okpala, Professor Paul Modum, Professor Ukwu I. Ukwu, Professor John Umeh and Dr Aja Nwachukwu.

Also present were Nze Mark Odu, Lady Maria Okwor, Madam Owanta, Professor Catherine Acholonu, Professor Simon Asogwa and Elder Nweke Anyigor.

From PETRUS OBI, Enugu