The National Association of Igbo Youths (NAIY) has condemned the attack on the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu by some members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany.
The group, in statement signed by the National President of the association, Chief Oliver Okpala, condemned the assault as brutal and barbaric.
“We categorically condemn the actions of the perpetrators of this heinous, opprobrious and embarrassing display of infantile delinquency, on a leading son of Igbo land. This is purely a demonstration of disrespect and absence of commitment to the collective noble Igbo cause.
“Even though we cannot settle an issue by hearing from one party, the visuals we have seen is quite condemnable and very shameful. No matter what, it is grossly reprehensible and sheer mark of irresponsibility.”
The former DSP had gone to Germany to attend the second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nurnberg and was billed to give a keynote address along with the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who, however, could not make it eventually.
He was given a resounding welcome by Ndigbo in Germany and everything went smoothly until some men, who identified themselves as IPOB members stormed the venue and began to complain about the killings in the South East, stressing that there would be no Igbo event at the venue.
Ekweremadu tried to engage them, but they became unruly, and physically assaulted the respected Igbo leader.
Okpala said the sad news came to NAIY as a rude shock because of what Senator Ekweremadu has come to represent to the Igbo nation.
For almost a decade, Ekweremadu held the banner of the Igbo race high in the political firmament of Nigeria and against all odds, standing as one of the highest political office holders in the nation, at a time Igbos were highly marginalised, he explained
“Ekweremadu was one of those who spoke up consistently and constantly on justice against Ndigbo, the Python Dance saga, judicial killings in Igbo land and other places both on the floor of the Senate and in his written and personal engagements with the Presidency and it is on record that he rallied the South East Senate Caucus to secure IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe taking him on bail to douse tension in the South East.
“This incident has brought to the fore, the need to remind the younger generation of Nigerians of the sacrifices our elders have been making to sustain the nation.”