Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has condemned the Monday
killing of over 30 Igbo protesters, who were mainly members of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualisation
of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), saying it appeared that
President Mohammadu Buhari was turning the people of the South East
and South South to “politically endangered species.”
He called on the international community to take note of the wanton
killings being perpetrated by the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress
(APC) government.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said
there was no justification whatsoever for the killing of over 30 Igbo
youths just because they were marking “Biafra Day in memory of the
former leader of the defunct Biafra Republic, the late Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu Ojukwu.”
He said it was worrisome that Nigeria and its people had been more
divided since the advent of Buhari’s government, adding that approach
to civil unrests of any kind under the government was causing more
security problems in the country.
The governor, who reiterated his avowed belief in the unity of
Nigeria, said it was unspeakable for security men to have used life
ammunitions against the Igbo protesters and went on to justify the
murder of innocent Nigerians just because their views were different
from those of the President.
“To even justify the killing by claiming that the Igbo youths protest
was orchestrated in order to mar the first anniversary of Buhari’s
government is to say the least, wicked and animalistic,” the governor
said.
He said it was worrisome that more than 150 Igbo youths had been
killed by Nigerian security operatives under the directive Buhari’s
government form August 30, 2015 till date, adding that “It appears
that President Buhari has made up his mind to eliminate as many South
East and South South people as possible and lovers of the corporate
existence of Nigeria and its people should call the president to
order.”
“I am alarmed that Nigerians who were only on peaceful protest could
be shot at and killed by security agents and after the senseless
killing of innocent Nigerians, security agents could demonstrate their
heartlessness by coming up with justifications for the criminal act.
“One is however not surprised because every evil perpetrated by the
Buhari-led government against Nigerians, especially those the
presidents appears to hate have been justified by those who
perpetrated them.
“We were in this country when over 1,000 Shiite Muslims were killed
and buried overnight in Zaria, Kaduna State and the murder was
justified. We were also here when over 400 Agatus were killed in Benue
State and the President said nothing.
“The Monday killing of over 30 Igbo youths is therefore condemnable.
Its justification is barbaric, heartless, crude and must be condemned
by all lovers of unity of Nigeria and its people.
“I therefore wish to express my sympathy to the people of the South
Eastern part of Nigeria and I urge them to remain resolute in their
agitation for a Nigeria in which all Nigerians are treated equally
irrespective of their tribe and religion.
