Iwuanyanwu: My heart bleeds over killings in south-east

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, says his heart bleeds over the incessant killings in the south-eastern part of the country.

On Tuesday morning, gunmen killed some security operatives and burnt their patrol vehicles in Oriagu, Ehime-Mbano LGA of Imo state.

The security operatives were on patrol along Aba-branch Oriagu in Ehime-Mbano road when the gunmen ambushed them and killed over six joint task force officers.

Iwuanyanwu, in a statement on Friday, condemned the killing, noting that it was “unacceptable to all honest, right-thinking and patriotic Nigerians”.

“My heart bleeds at the sad events in Igboland where Igbos are killing fellow Igbos,” NAN quoted Iwuanyanwu as saying in the statement.

“I am equally very distressed by the rate at which the Nigerian security operatives are killed not only in Igboland but all over the country.

“Worse still is the suspected reprisal attack where innocent Igbo sons and daughters from Mbano in Imo state have found their lives and means of livelihood completely destroyed.”

Iwuanyanwu said he would be sending a team “immediately, under the leadership of C.J Ihemedu, the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Imo state chapter”, to give him a comprehensive report on the matter.

“I call on the federal government to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime and make sure they face the law. I also urge the federal government to put in place necessary security measures to forestall the reoccurrence of this sad event,” he said.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is right now undertaking a total transformation of Igboland and by this transformation, more job opportunities will be created in the zone for school leavers; and infrastructure for businessmen and women.

“I wish, on behalf of all Igbos worldwide, to express our deep sympathy to the families of the security men who were gruesomely murdered.

“We also sympathise with our people in Mbano whose shops and houses were destroyed during the reprisal attack.

“I pray the Almighty God to take control of events in Igboland so that we will once more enjoy peace, happiness and prosperity in our land.”