There is grand design to silence, humiliate Igbo leaders – Ohanaeze 

Igbo leaders have raised alarm that there is a grand design by the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to emasculate and humiliate top Igbo leaders in the federal government of Nigeria.

Chief John Nnia Nwodo, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,  on Tuesday admonished that  the Buhari administration and the APC government to ensure that nothing happens to the Deputy Senate President, Barrister Ike Ekweremadu, who was on Tuesday placed under house arrest by the Police at his residence in Abuja and hindered him from attending the sitting of the Senate.

National Daily gathered that the Ohaneze President General Nwodo advocated that disturbing reports that operatives of the Nigerian State besieged the residence of the Deputy Senate President on Tuesday morning for yet undisclosed motives should be condemned.

Nwodo remarked that while the Igbo group would not begrudge the state for doing its statutory duty, it must be within the confines of rule of law more so that the nation is in a democracy.

He asserted: “In a democratic setting as ours, we expect security agencies to be civil and work within the rule of the law without breaching the civil liberty of any individual.”
The Ohaneze leader warned that Senator Ekweremadu, being the highest Igbo in this government, is much cherished by his people and is expected that he should be accorded all the respect deserving of his position.
Nwodo further recalled that another Igbo son, Senator Enyinna Abaribe, was incarcerated for three days without any tangible reason disclosed to Nigerians till date.
Nwodo declared: “We will not want to be sentimental into believing that there are grand design to silent and humiliate Igbo leaders at the national level who are legitimately representing their people very well but whose stance on issues is not agreeable with the ruling authorities.”
The Ohaneze President general cautioned that “Ndigbo will not take kindly to any action that is intended to harass, intimidate or arrest Igbo leaders without following the due process of the law.
“If the Deputy Senate breached any law he should be taken to court not put under house arrest. This certainly is a bad omen for our country.”
Chief Nwodo said that it would do the nation’s democracy no good if people’s liberties are continuously being curtailed by an intolerant system.