…Insists Igbos are natives, not strangers in Rivers
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Indigenous Igbo communities in Rivers State have demanded the immediate interrogation of former Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo over what they described as serial anti-Igbo rhetoric and unprovoked threats against the ethnic group.
The call was made by the Indigenous Igbo Congress (IIC), Rivers State, which accused Dokubo of profiling the Igbo and peddling inflammatory narratives capable of inciting ethnic and religious unrest.
In a statement signed by its President-General, Chimenum Amadi, and Secretary-General, Ogenma Victor Denial, the IIC rebuked Dokubo over viral videos in which he blamed Igbos for recent violence and religious tension in Obigbo and other parts of the state.
“The protests in question were carried out by Rivers indigenes expressing local grievances. To suddenly label such actions an ‘Igbo invasion’ is misleading and dangerous,” the group said.
The Congress also faulted what it called the ethnicisation of criminal incidents in Igwuruta and Ikwerre communities, noting that protests following the killing of a local resident were quickly framed as an “Igbo agenda.”
Describing Dokubo’s claims as “malicious, misleading and reckless,” the IIC dismissed allegations that Igbos and supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were invading Rivers State, vandalising mosques, or fomenting violence.
“There is no credible evidence linking Igbos or IPOB supporters to the reported disturbances in Obigbo. Rivers State has a large population of indigenous Igbo communities who cannot be branded invaders in their ancestral homeland,” the statement said.
The group recalled previous instances where Dokubo allegedly made unverified accusations against Igbos over unrest in other states, warning that such claims deepen suspicion and division.
Raising alarm over what it termed threats of retaliation in Dokubo’s remarks, the IIC stressed that no individual has the right to threaten an entire ethnic group or glorify violence.
Insisting that no one is above the law, the Congress called on security agencies to investigate statements capable of inciting violence and urged residents to reject divisive narratives.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace and coexistence, the IIC said Igbos are not strangers in Rivers State and vowed to resist all attempts to portray them as instigators of violence or religious conflict.
