Protest: NASS Southeast Caucus condemns ethnic profiling of Igbo, call for probe on Lagospedia
By Jeffrey Agbo
Southeast Caucus of the National Assembly has condemned the ethnic profiling of the Igbo in the ongoing protests across the country.
The caucus, in a statement on Friday by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Leader of the South East Senate Caucus of the National Assembly; and Hon Igariwey Enwo, Leader of the South East Caucus of the House of Representatives, said the profiling of the Igbo is dangerous and unwarranted as the Igbo had earlier stated they were not part of the protest.
“The attention of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country,” the statement said.
“For the records, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders- Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians and others in the private sector- had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the on-going nationwide protests. This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.”
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The caucus called for the X handle, Lagospedia, to be investigated for calling for the Igbo to be sent out of the Southwest.
“We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed, that Igbos are still made scapegoats, and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X (Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.
“This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted, and must stop. It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950’s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970. Elsewhere in Africa it led to the genocide in Rwanda and the xenophobia in South Africa. Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria.
“We demand therefore that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the cybercrimes act and criminal laws of the country.
“We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests, and remain law abiding,” the statement added.
