Igbo Professionals and Civil Society Organizations, a gathering of Igbo associations, urged the federal government on Thursday to protect the rights of all Nigerian citizens.
This plea coincides with ongoing efforts by unidentified individuals to push Ndigbo to vacate Lagos and other states.
In a statement endorsed by notable figures including Prof. Chinedu Nebo from Nzuko Umunna, Engr. Chris Okoye representing Anya ndi Igbo, Agbalanze Chike Madueke from Aka Ikenga, Dr. Law Mefor of Igbo bu Igbo, Iyom Josephine Anenih from Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo, and Barrister Chidi Udekwe of Otu Oka Iwu, Igbo Professionals and Civil Society Organizations expressed their disapproval of hate speeches and ethnic profiling against the Igbo community.
The groups urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute all enablers of genocide, hate speeches, ethnic profiling, and bigotry against ndi Igbo.
The communique reads: A group of Igbo Professionals and Civil Society Organizations met to discuss matters of urgent national importance especially the recent issue of ethnic baiting, the threat of genocide, and the #Igbomustgo campaign carried out by some identified and yet-to-be-identified persons against Ndi Igbo.
The meeting discussed extensively on this issue and concluded that the recent call for genocide against Ndi Igbo is unconstitutional, defies all reasonable logic, and is against the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), and numerous international conventions.
The meeting resolved as follows: NOTES that ndi Igbo are rightful citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
CONDEMNS in bold terms all manner of Hate Speeches and ethnic profiling of ndi Igbo.
SEEKS the arrest and prosecution of all enablers of genocide, hate speeches, ethnic profiling, and bigotry against ndi Igbo.
DECLARES that the silence of some State Governments in whose State such ethnic profiling is promoted would be taken as support to this call for genocide against ndi Igbo.
CALLS on the Federal Government to rise as a matter of urgency and defend the rights of every citizen of this country by condemning, arresting, and prosecuting all enablers of genocide against ndi Igbo.
