The Ohanaeze spokesman, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, has distanced himself and the entire leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide from any plot to eliminate Finland based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa.
Ekpa is said to be connected to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
There has equally been calls by some Igbo opinion leaders and politicians for the repatriation Ekpa to Nigeria because of the alleged ‘Sit – at – Home’ order he, allegedly, had been levying on South – East geopolitical zone in recent time over the continued detention and trial of Kanu by the Nigerian Government.
The Finland based separatist agitator had also been harsh concerning the rendition of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria by the Nigerian Government.
However, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, the spokesman of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, raised the alarm over threats to his life allegedly from the camp of Simon Ekpa.
Ogbonnia in a statement issued on Tuesday night expressed the concern that he had been inundated with phone calls by unknown persons alleging that he wanted to kill Ekpa, and that they would first take him out before Ekpa.
In the statement, the Ohanaeze spokesman distanced himself and the entire leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide from any plan to kill Ekpa.
The statement partly read: “Since four days ago, my phone has been inundated with phone calls by unknown persons alleging that I want to kill Mr. Simon Ekpa; and that they will kill me first, before I kill their leader, Mr. Ekpa.
“Of course, that I can or will kill Ekpa is the most ridiculous, malicious, mischievous and satanic of all the statements in this world. It is a common knowledge that I don’t have the capacity to kill.
“I am neither trained as a soldier nor as a police officer or in any paramilitary organization with a duty to respond to threats to life and property. At my age, I cannot even kill a fly, talk more of a global Leviathan in the person of Mr. Simon Ekpa.”
It added, “In my duty as the spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I cannot shirk in my duty to stand by the core Igbo interests and Ohanaeze position on any national issue. Undoubtedly, I expressed the view that the Igbo have become uncomfortable with the sit-at-home syndrome in the South East of Nigeria; and that the persistent sit at home has caused the Igbo more harm than good.
“I also absolved the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the lingering sit at home in the South East, indicating that Ohanaeze is a persuasive and not a coercive organization, thus does not have the capacity to stop the sit at home. I added that if the federal government feels that the security of Nigeria is being threatened by anybody or a group, it is the duty of the government and not Ohanaeze to take the necessary action.
“I emphasised that Ohanaeze Ndigbo has appealed to our son, Mr. Ekpa to come home for a dialogue and that we will continue to appeal for peace in the South East. This is the Ohanaeze position and indeed that of the Igbo Leaders.
“Let it be known that in spite of the threat to my life and indeed every other patriotic Igbo leader, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, will continue to remind the Igbo youths that it is a contradiction to face the barrel of the gun inwards.
“The primary duty of a freedom fighter is to defend and protect his people, and not the contrary. It is inconceivable how the destruction of Igbo economy through the intermittent sit at home syndrome will resonate with the central philosophy and aspirations of the Igbo in the present Nigeria.
“Finally, I wish to assure our son, Mr. Simon Ekpa, that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is interested in his well-being, and cannot contemplate nor be a party to neutralising or killing him. The mischief makers are once again at work.
“There is no record where an officer of Ohanaeze has ever killed or taken part in a conspiracy to kill an Igbo or any person for that matter. Part of our duty, as leaders, is to appeal to our sons of all persuasions that we can work together in the interest of the Igbo.”
