The Igbo National Council, INC, has accused the Nigerian Army of indiscriminately arresting Igbo youths over alleged link to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN).
INC in a statement on Wednesday signed by its President, Chilos Godsent, said that the Nigerian Army has continued to raid some communities in Imo State to effect the arrest of residents, especially youths and women.
It, however, urged Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodinma and President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to quickly intervene and stop the Army from further raiding and arresting youths and women of these communities over allegation of being members of IPOB.
“Information reaching our news desk indicated that the clandestine neo-Mafia Gestapo style of the arrest of Igbo Youths and Women started on Sunday 18th April 2021 and communities in Agwa Clan and Izombe in Oguta LGA of Imo State are heavily affected.
“We would not want the repeat of the Oyigbo saga in Rivers State where over five hundred Igbo Youths and Women were arrested, adopted and taken to a secret detention base in the North region of Nigeria where some of them have alleged to have died out of trauma and torture and till now many had not returned.
“We note that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) Chapter Four (Fundamental Rights) gives citizens of Nigeria certain inalienable Rights which the Nigeria President and Imo State Governor has sworn to defend and protect”.
The group also called on well-meaning citizens of Imo State, the Igbo nation and concerned Nigerians to rise to condemn the ongoing extra-judiciary killings of Igbo youths and women by the men of the Nigerian Army.
