By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The umbrella body of the Igbos, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has asked the federal government to direct the military to call off its military operation in the South-east code-named Python Dance 11, describing it as an invasion in the region aimed at intimidating the people.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement signed by its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Tuesday said: “Nigeria at this moment does not need such deliber        ate and proactive escalation of tensions and crisis.”
According to the body, rather than resorting to the use of brute force in the resolution of issue of self determination, the government should be more civilised and employ established practices to resolve “our democratic and security challenges”.
It warned that if this act of intimidation is not discontinued immediately, “it would be left with no alternative than to conclude that this is a containment policy aimed at the South-ast to intimidate our people from freely expressing their anger and angst at their marginalisation and treatment as second class citizens”.
Nwodo said: “In a democracy, the level of disenchantment expressed by the people of the South East of Nigeria ought to have provoked a serious dialogue between our people and the Federal Executive and the Legislature.”
Details later…
