The Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has vowed to hold the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, responsible for the attacks on Igbo during the Presidential and National Assembly election in the state.
Ohanaeze in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, also warned that the organization would hold the Oba of Lagos and MC Oluomo responsible for the attacks on the Igbo community in the state.
Calling on people in Lagos State to vote out Sanwo-Olu during the forthcoming governorship election, Isiguzoro said the attack on Igbo for voting for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party(LP) in Lagos was an attempt to pitch the Igbo against the Yoruba.
The statement reads, “We have observed the calculated attempt to pitch the Yorubas against the Igbos with the ethnic colouration that both tribes are fighting because Labour Party won Lagos State.
“We want to make it categorically clear that we have Yorubas who are supporting Obi like Obasanjo and Ayo Adebanjo.
“We are holding the Governor of Lagos State responsible for any calculated attack against innocent Igbo traders, we are holding MC Oloumo and the Oba of Lagos if anything happens to traders and the community in Lagos State.
“The Governor of Lagos State has failed in his duties to protect the lives and properties of the people of the state, and we hereby, call him to resign honourably for failing to perform his duties.
“The attack of Igbos in various parts of Lagos State is an act of cowardice and a sad reality that he has lost control of Lagos State
“They are preparing to unleash more terror on the Igbo community ahead of the March governorship election. We are telling Lagodisns that since the governor has failed in his statutory obligations to protect them should vote him out, except he apologizes and ensure the protection of lives and properties.
“Also, we are telling Igbos communities in Lagos that self-defence and determination is a universal law, they should never allow what happened in 1993 to happen in 2023 when Abiola lost the election and Igbos became the victim.
“Igbos must rise up and defend themselves, they should be peaceful, calm and never be involved in troublemaking, but if trouble comes to their doorstep, they should rise up and defend themselves.
“They should never instigate any crisis where they are; as Nigerians, they should rise up and bravely defend themselves wherever they are.
“The message is very clear; they should be law-abiding citizens but defend themselves.”
