Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Youth wing of the Igbo social cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has assured the people of it’s readiness and preparedness to safeguard the people of the zone against any form of invasion by any section or ethnic group in the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, chief Osmond Nkeoma who was reacting to the influx of the Almajirai to the southeast in recent times maintained that Igbo youths have not been quiet on the movements of the northern youths to the southeast, explaining that every precautionary measures have been put in place to avert any form of attack in their land.
According to Nkeoma, youths have been mobilised and sensitised to the grassroot level for this purpose, just as he urged them not to panic.
Nkeoma, although said he strongly believed that the northern youths flocking into the southeast are not Almajirai but suspected Jihadists.
“We are not seeing them as Almajiri, we see them as suspected trained Jihadists, I have lived in the north, you can’t tell me somebody who is 34 years is an Almajiri, I know Almajiri to be from age of 4 to 17, moreover why are they bringing them here if they are rejected in their own place .
“if the northern governors have all agreed they don’t want Almajiri system, it’s not our own way of life, we would not tolerate them, moreover, we were asked to stay indoors during the pandemic , federal government even declared curfew and restriction on inter state movement , it baffles us to still see trucks conveying people in the name of Almajiri.
“As Igbo youths we would stand against any form of attack , we are highly prepared , they say an empty drum makes the loudest noise so we are not going to talk too much, Igbo youths we have gone underground, we have done our feasibility studies and we would do everything humanly possible to safeguard our people , we urge them not to panic.” Nkeoma said.
However, the Igbo youths have insisted that they are still waiting for the federal government’s statement on the influx of the northern youths especial the ones impounded by the police.
“The ones we have gotten so far, we have handed them over to the police and we are waiting for federal government to give us a statement on that , if they don’t , no problem, Igbo youths are ready to defend ourselves.” Nkeoma assured.