Ndigbo Lagos hits out at ‘defamation of Ihejirika’

Ndigbo Lagos, an association of Igbo people living in Lagos, has described as “procured, choreographed and orchestrated” the allegations against former army chief, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, that he is a funder of Boko Haram.

Ihejirika, who is an Igbo from Abia State, had earlier denied the allegations by the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis, who said Boko Haram commanders told him the retired general was one of their sponsors.

In a press statement issued by Ndigbo Lagos on Thursday, the association described Davis as a “white mercenary prowling the African continent”.

The statement, signed by Chuma Igwe, the group’s director of communications and strategy, read in parts: “Mr Davies (Davis) did not adduce or suggest any single evidence to support his accusation. Curiously when in the same breadth he said he has knowledge of the sponsor of the Abuja Nyanya bombing he refused to name names.

“Most tragic in this choreographed defamation of an illustrious General, is the interviewer’s unprofessionalism in failing to demand evidence from Ihejirika’s accuser, Mr Stephen Davies. General Ihejirika has since denied this allegation. Given the lack of evidence, the nature of delivery of the allegation and the character of the accused General, Ndigbo Lagos believes Ihejirika’s traducers are playing dirty politics.

“General Ihejirika will be remembered for being one of the most outstanding Commanders Nigeria has had. He is not only an accomplished tactician but also a Strategic leader of a fighting force. In his time he not only decimated the fighting capability of Boko Haram but also built enduring military institutions to permanently checkmate insurgency in Nigeria.”

The group noted that that when Ihejirika retired from the army, “the same self-selected northern bigots wanted him tried by The World Court for being overzealous in crushing Boko Haram. Eight months down the road, the same General Ihejirika is now accused of being a sponsor.

“The orchestration of this insidious allegation by Nasir El Rufai a character fast drifting gracelessly in to the ethnic bigoted pit of hell, reveals the tragic indulgence in denial, escapism by the same self-centred  Northern politicians who would rather create hell to rule over than serve in heaven.

“As Ndigbo Lagos advised the likes of Nasir El Rufai earlier, those who ride the tiger will inevitably find themselves in the belly of the tiger.”

Former governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako, had alleged last year that military helicopters were dropping arms for Boko Haram in a widely publicised letter accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of carrying out a genocide campaign against northerners.

Ihejirika was removed as chief of army staff in January 2014.