Killings: Igbo demand reparation from Nigeria

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization,
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, set up a
committee to look into the issue of reparation
and royalties due to Ndigbo since after the
civil war.
The committee, headed by the 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.
Three other committees inaugurated are
Planning and Strategy, headed by Admiral
Allison Madueke (rtd); Outreach, headed by
Senator Hope Uzodimma; and Finance, headed
by Chief Alex Oti, Managing Director of
Diamond Bank.

Briefing newsmen after the Ime-Obi meeting of
Ohanaeze at its national secretariat in Enugu,
President General of the Igbo umbrella
organization, 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. It will be all-inclusive;
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
mosques; we also condemn the killing of
Nigerians in other places in the North,” he
said.
On the deportation of some Igbo 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.”
According to him, 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 cattle into people’s farms, he said.
Igariwey explained that the meeting, attended
by eminent Igbo leaders, also reviewed the
National Development Plan which is a 30-year
infrastructure development plan by the Federal
Government.
“Ime-obi agreed that the time given for
appraising the report was too short for proper
input and assessment and 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.