The apex Igbo political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has reacted to the attack by gunmen on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s convoy on Sunday.
Ohaneze, through its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, said that the killing was alien to Igbo culture and wondered if those behind the dastardly acts in the South East are truly Igbo.
His words: “This is very disturbing. I feel so sad about it. In Igboland, in the past, killing was an abominable act, a taboo, and something that was not contemplated.
“But most unfortunately, the development in South East now is worrisome. I sometimes wonder if those behind these heinous crimes are Igbo.
“I’m disturbed. What are we supposed to hand over to the next generation as Igbo values and norms? How are we even sure it will not degenerate and become worse?”
The Ohanaeze chieftain also expressed disgust over the killing of a community leader at Agukwu-nri, weekend.
“I also feel sad that an Onowu, a highly revered personality from Agukwu-nri, was shot dead in the market. This sends a wrong signal.”
He blamed the rising insecurity in the country on bad governance and leadership failure, saying it can only end with the enthronement of good governance.
“No matter the military presence, the only thing that can solve the problem in Nigeria is to bring good governance. And the only way to bring good governance is through a credible election. By the time we have a credible election, and good people come to preside over the affairs of the country, the economy will be stimulated.
“When that is done, there will be employment and crime will reduce. There is no way you can reduce crime when there is a high rate of unemployment.
“So, what is happening in the country now is the effect of bad governance, bad leadership, unemployment, induced poverty, greed, and primitive accumulation of wealth by the leaders.
“So, the only way to solve it is when we change the leadership through the democratic revolution, then these things will begin to fizzle out.”
He said that the protracted strike action by university-based unions could also be fueling the insecurity in the country as some students might be recruited into the crime industry.
“Don’t be surprised that some of those behind the killings may be students who have been out of school for over six months of the strike.”
He also blamed the insecurity in the South East on marginalization and near political exclusion of the zone by the government at the centre.
“The other dimension that tends to create problems in the South East is the issue of alienation of the Igbo people from the centre of power. The deliberate alienation of Igbo is frustrating and at the extreme of such frustration, some may be tempted to take up arms.
“At a certain level of extreme provocation and marginalisation the people express frustration through taking up arms. So, the best way is to ensure there is good governance.”
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, while urging Governor Soludo to fish out the killers, observed that killings of this nature were alien to the Igbo.
In a statement he signed, Uba said: “The news came to me as a shock and I sincerely condemn the horrific attack. These attacks are uncalled for and it’s alien to Igbo culture to maim and kill humans.
“I urge the government to do the needful in bringing total sanity to our dear Anambra State.”
Attack on Ubah despicable, evil —Abaribe
In his reaction, the immediate past Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has condemned the gruesome attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah by gunmen, describing it as despicable and evil.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, Senator Abaribe said that the sad incident which is one among many others across the country is a clear indication of the total collapse of security.
Senator Abaribe also said he would not want to read political motives behind the attack, but cautioned against such if that is the case saying no political aspiration is worth any human life.
He, therefore, called for a thorough investigation on this and other related ones to unravel the culprits and perhaps the motives for the rising attacks coming on the eve of the 2023 general elections.
Abaribe said, “It has become most expedient now for the authorities to deploy the best of our security and intelligence network across the board to nip such incidences in the bud.
We must engender confidence and reassure Nigerians of their safety at all times.”
However, he condoled with Senator Uba, the Police authorities, and the families of those who lost their lives in the fatal attack.
