The president- general of Igbo community association in the central axis of Kogi State Chief Joseph Anikwe has said in spite of the security threats in parts of the country Igbo people residing in Kogi State will always peacefully with their hosts.
The Igbo leader while exchanging views with our correspondent on the current security challenges in the country, said the Igbo people have resolved to live peacefully and harmoniously and that nothing will make them to break their resolution.
Although he said there can never be peace in a country where some people are marginalised and treated as second class citizens, he however commended governor Yahaya Bello for the security architecture he has put in place for the indigenes and non-indigenes in the State.
The Igbo leader expressed sadness over the level of senseless killings and wanton destruction of properties in the country, but said the insecurity level was heightened because of perceived marginalisation and victimisation of some tribal groups in the country.
In his words” what an average Igbo wants is fairness , justice and equity, not secession. Give us what is due to us, don’t marginalise us, don’t treat us as second class citizens in a country we collectively built. We are not slaves.
”An average Igbo man is peaceful, hard working and highly enterprising, but in a situation that we are systemically marginalised and schemed out of the mainstream, it is highly disappointing and this can not be tolerated” he said
Chief Joe Anikwe has said for fairness, justice and equity the 2023 presidency should be zoned to the south East
Chief Anikwe therefore urged both the ruling party and the opposition party to zone the 2023 presidency to the south east as it was done for the south west in 1999 presidential election.
On the frequent killings in the South East, the Igbo leader said the killings of innocent people must stop and the destruction of government facilities must also stop.
He however, called on the leadership of ohaneze to continue to have a one- on -one dialogue with the Independent People of Biafra( IPOB )and Eastern Security Network ( ESN) to put an end to the current insecurity in the area stressing that ohaneze must see IPOB/ ECN as it’s children and not enemies.
The Igbo leader also advised president Muhammad Buhari to take the issue of restructuring of the country seriously and urgently and not to foot drag over the issue saying the country is burning already and the president- should not allow the nation to disintegrate during his tenure.
He commended the south east governors for the various efforts so far made to bring a lasting peace to the region and said all hands must be on deck to ensure that wanton destruction of lives and property must be put to an end.
