Why South-East region shunned nationwide protests — NASS caucus

The South East Caucus of the National Assembly has justified the relative calm in the region despite the ongoing nationwide protests.

The lawmakers from the zone stated that the indigenes of the region chose to refrain from participating in the protests in deference to the advice of their leaders—Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians, and others in the private sector—who had made a reasoned and strategic decision not to take part in the nationwide demonstrations.

A statement signed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Leader of the South East Senate Caucus, and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Igariwey Iduma Enwo, addressed what they termed as ethnic profiling of the Igbo in the ongoing protests.

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The statement specifically cited statements (such as the “Igbo Must Go” hashtag and calls by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X (Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.

The South East Caucus further warned the federal government to take action against the masterminds behind the hate speeches in accordance with the Cybercrimes Act and criminal laws of the country.

The statement reads in part:

“The attention of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.

For the record, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders—Governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians, and others in the private sector—had made a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the ongoing nationwide protests. This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.

We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed that Igbos are still being scapegoated and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the ‘Igbo Must Go’ hashtag and calls by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X (Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.

This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted and must stop. Such profiling led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950s to the unfortunate civil war from 1967 to 1970. Elsewhere in Africa, it resulted in the genocide in Rwanda and xenophobia in South Africa.

Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria. We demand that the security agencies hold accountable those who propagate these hate speeches in line with the Cybercrimes Act and criminal laws of the country.

We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests and remain law-abiding.”