Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council tells Igbos in Japan to ignore Ipob order to assault Buhari

PAN-cultural association Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (ONYCW) has urged Igbos living in Japan to disregard a recent order from the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) to assault President Muhammadu Buhari when he visits the country soon.

Last weekend, Ipob members in Germany attacked former deputy senate president Senator Ike Ekweremadu when he was invited to an event in Nuremberg. Following the assault, Ipob has promised that all Igbo leaders will face similar treatment when they grow abroad as they have sold out by refusing to back the proposed breakaway republic of Biafra.

Later this month, President Buhari will be visiting Japan and Ipob leader Nnamdi Kanu has called on his supporters to attack the president. Ipob has blamed President Buhari for being behind the incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria and want him held responsible for the dozens of Igbos they have killed.

President Buhari will travel to Japan to participates in the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development, holding in Yokohama between August 28 and 30. Ipob members are expected to storm the venue in large numbers challenging the president on his human rights record and the marginalisation of Ndigbo.

Comrade Obinna Achionye, the ONYCW  deputy president, said: “It was suicidal and foolishness that someone will participate in an assault against President Buhari in Japan. It is also folly to direct gullible Igbo youths to risk jail in Japan and deportation while he enjoys in London.

“Asia countries are not like Europe where someone will engage in activities against a visiting African president without heavy sanctions and punishment by the host country. So, we call on Igbos staying in Japan to remember that Igbos are not traditionally violent people and will never identify with terrorism, as gradually Ipob has lost the consciousness as a defender of Igbos and is now ranking as a violent group capable of carrying arms in the nearby future.

“We also wish to disassociate ourselves from the rented crowd that received Ike Ekweremadu at Enugu airport. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide observed that a desperate Enugu lawmaker from Ezeagu Local Government Area who’s a stooge of Ekweremadu in Enugu State House of Assembly, went to Onitsha main market and Ogbete Enugu market to persuade touts and beggars to masquerade as Ohanaeze youths to give the impression that Igbo youths gave Ekweremadu a rousing welcome.

“Contrary to his expectations, he was betrayed by lack of communication skills exhibited by a 60 years old man parading himself as a youth leader. Although we condemn the attack on Ekweremadu in Germany, we are not involved in the deceitful outing and we will sanction the lawmaker appropriately.”