Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Residents of Enugu State have have condemned the “#Igbo must go” slogan by some Lagos residents during the #endbadgovernance protest in the state.
Speaking to Ikengaonline in Enugu, the chairman of Guild of Public Analysts, in the state, Dr Ambrose Igboke, said ethnic profiling was dangerous.
Igboke described the call as irresponsible and advised the government to take a definite position on that.
“Ethnic profiling is very dangerous and the earlier the Federal Government of Nigeria takes action, the better for the country,” he said.
Igboke said that even when the Igbos refused to participate in the ongoing protest they were still being maligned.
This shows the level of hatred to the Igbo nation by some ethnic chauvinists in the country,” he said.
In the same vein, Lt. Colonel Aaron Ugwu (Rtd), described the #Igbo must go phobia as a serious matter, which should not be swept under the carpet.
“Ethnicity in Nigeria is taking a different dimension and it is dangerous for us as a country.
“I am waiting for the president to condemn it, nobody has monopoly of violence,” he said.
A resident, Engr, Toochi Okereke, said the #Igbomustgo, could break the country if not well checked.
“It is a bad trend; the government must fish out originators of this slogan and ensure that they face the law.
“Failure to do so may spell doom for Nigeria,” he said.
In a related development, a human right activist, Anayo Eze, said Igbo had no reason to join the protest.
“Why should we join protest, we have been sitting at home on Mondays since 2021, has anyone outside Igboland intervened.
“The #ENDSARS# that happened in Lagos was latter blamed on Igbos; so, this time around let other tribes react,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Anthony Ekwueme, a businessman, said that Ndigbo have been ostracized and therefore there is no reason to join any nationwide protest.
“Even if we join protest, it will not make our voice heard, rather they will blame us for the protest and other tribes will and laugh at us,” he said.
In a related development, a trader, Mrs Ngozi Okeke, said she had no strength to protest because she was hungry and tired.
Okeke said she did not participate because she never believed the present administration of Bola Tinubu would change anything.
“I never believed anything good will happen under this government; so, protest is a waste of time and energy.
“We voted for someone we believe can change Nigeria but because he is an Igbo man, they refused to give him, let them protest nothing will change, ” she said.
Meanwhile, as the protest goes into day three Enugu and other parts of the state has remained peaceful and calm with residents going about their businesses unperturbed.
Ikengaonline reports that even the security agencies that were stationed in strategic locations have disappeared but movements and businesses have remained at very ebb.
