The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization, has announced its decision to withdraw from the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1st-10th, 2024.
According to a statement released by the group’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro on Tuesday, the decision is aimed at protecting the lives and properties of Igbo people across the country.
The group cited past experiences of Igbo lives lost and properties destroyed during previous protests and riots in Nigeria, according to Politics Nigeria.
Instead, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is prioritizing the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The group believes that Kanu’s release is more important to the Igbo people than participating in the protests.
The move is seen as a significant development in the planned protests, which are aimed at addressing the country’s economic hardship.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s decision may influence other groups and individuals in the southeast region to reconsider their participation in the protests.
Part of the statement read: “Drawing from the painful history of past riots and protests in Nigeria, such as the 17th April 1978 ALI MUST GO Protests, the 24th May 1989 ANTI-SAP RIOTS, the 1993 June 12 protests, the 2nd-14th January 2012 OCCUPY NIGERIA protests, and the 20th October 2020 END SARS protests, which resulted in immense losses of Igbo lives and properties, OHANAEZE NDIGBO highlights the fact that Igbos have often been used as sacrificial lambs in the course of these protests.
“In the interest of protecting the lives and properties of Igbos across the country, OHANAEZE NDIGBO has made the decision to direct Igbos at home and in the diaspora to refrain from participating in the nationwide protests scheduled for August 1st-10th, 2024, for the following reasons.
“Firstly, the security challenges in the Southeast region make it imprudent to allow any form of protest or riot to occur. Any attempt to enforce protests in the southeast will only exacerbate the already precarious security situation in the region.
“Extremists and criminals may take advantage of such protests to instigate violence, loot properties, and cause chaos. Therefore, it is not advisable for any protests to take place in the southeast.
“Secondly, with the fear of Igbos being used as sacrificial lambs in the upcoming protests nationwide, OHANAEZE NDIGBO advises Igbo residents in the 19 Northern States and Southwest to boycott the protests for their own safety and security. Staying away from the protests is crucial to safeguarding their well-being.”