Asari Dokubo warns that there will be revenge attacks on Yorubas living in the Niger Delta after Lagos violence

NIGER Delta militant Alhaji Asari Dokubo has threatened Yoruba people living in the southeast and south-south geo-political zones that they face recriminations and revenge attacks following the assaults in several Igbos in Lagos last weekend.

On Saturday February 26, Nigeria held presidential and National Assembly elections but in certain parts of Lagos, there was political violence with ballot boxes snatched. Worst affected were the Igbo-populated areas like Okota, Oshodi and Ajegunle, with thugs seeking to bar residents from voting.

With most Igbos veering towards the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, it is believed that the thugs were hired by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with a mandate to depress his vote. Several lives were believed to have been lost in the fracas and the Independent National Electoral Commission cancelled the votes from affected polling units.

Next weekend, there will be gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections coming up on March 9 and Alhaji Dokubo has vowed that the people of Biafra would avenge the killing of Igbos in Lagos State. Also condemning the killings in some local government areas in Rivers State, the former dreaded freedom fighter blamed politicians for ordering the deaths, using Nigerian security forces.

According to Alhaji Dokubo, over 30 people have been recorded dead owing to the attack by the Nigerian security forces. He called on Yoruba people to stop the attacks on Biafrans who have done no wrong by choosing to vote for a candidate of their choice and by choosing to vote out a tyrant.

Alhaji Dokubo added: “We will revenge the killings. They need to be reminded that they have Yoruba people working at the various oil facilities in the Niger Delta."

Also, the pan-Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned that Nigeria would burn if hoodlums attacking Ndigbo in Lagos and other parts of the country do not desist from such acts. Ohaneze Ndigbo deputy national publicity secretary Chuks Ibegbu alleged that hoodlums attacking Igbos in Lagos State and other parts of Nigeria were under the influence of godfathers.

Mr Ibegbu said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo is hereby warning hoodlums and political touts to stop attacking Igbos in Lagos and other parts of the country. This is no longer politics but ethnic cleansing and we warn it may lead to anarchy if not checked.

"Hausa-Fulani voted for Buhari and Atiku, Yorubas voted for Buhari and Atiku, other nationalities did the same and Igbos voted for Buhari and Atiku too. Why must hoodlums prodded by some godfathers attack innocent Igbos? so this foolish behaviour must stop.”