The Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has called on President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to hold accountable all those who played direct and indirect roles in the killing, maiming, and destruction of Igbo property in Lagos State, South‑west Nigeria. Condemning the profiling of Igbos—especially in Lagos and other parts of the country—the Council reminded Nigerians and authorities that these incidents echo the events that triggered the 30‑month civil war which claimed millions of lives.
In a communique issued after an emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday, the Council—whose members included representatives from Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and other regions—directed Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in collaboration with the Council, to establish a Committee of Enquiry to investigate fully the killings and the destruction of Ndigbo assets in Lagos. An emergency telephone line was also set up for Igbos in Lagos who are victimised because of their origin to report incidents. The Council unequivocally stated that Igbo people are not at war with the Yoruba or any other ethnic group in Nigeria and specified that the enquiry’s terms of reference must cover: the number of Igbos killed, injured and hospitalised, the number permanently incapacitated, and a comprehensive report of destroyed Igbo assets and properties, including the burning of markets.
The communique was signed by Chairman of the Council of Elders in Nigeria, Chief Emmanuel C. Iwuanyanwu; Secretary‑General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Okey Emuchay; Chief Simon N. Okeke (Nigeria); Elder Adolphus Umunnakwe Agbasonu (Europe); Mazi Ignatius Muotoh (Europe); Prof. Godfrey Ajoku (USA); Chief Kingsley Obaji (USA); and National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia.
The emergency meeting was convened to review the painful experiences of Igbos in Lagos during the recent general elections. It observed that innocent Igbo residents, who came out as patriotic Nigerians to cast their votes, were assaulted, brutalised and, in some cases, killed by miscreants and thugs recruited by desperate politicians. The communique noted, “These unpatriotic Nigerians destroyed properties belonging to the Igbo, for example, a whole market was burnt. The information available to us reveals that they are still threatening the lives of Igbos and their properties in Lagos State.”
The Elders reviewed Igbo history in Nigeria and unanimously agreed that, since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, Igbos have remained committed to peace, progress and economic development. They recalled with sadness the events of 1966 that led to the civil war, which devastated Igbo lives and property and left the community impoverished and brutalised by January 1970. The Council drew a parallel between those historic events and the current attacks in Lagos.
The communique stressed that the recent attacks occurred during the Lagos governorship election, in which all candidates were Yoruba. It is therefore “strange, unjust and inconceivable to profile the Igbo and their assets for destruction because they exercised their franchise in favour of the Yoruba candidates.” The document alleged that any Igbo who attempted to defend himself was branded a thug, arrested and detained, while the actual assailants were freed.
While urging Igbos in Lagos to remain calm and continue their normal activities, the Council called on Governor Babajide Sanwolu, as Chief Security Officer of Lagos State, to protect Igbo lives and property and to release Igbos maliciously detained in police stations. “We have been in touch with some Lagos leaders and are convinced there is no state of war or crisis between Igbos and Lagosians/Yorubas; rather, this is the handiwork of a few desperate politicians and miscreants,” the Elders insisted. They also noted that many Igbos in Lagos are staunch APC supporters who voted for the party in all elections, countering the claim that only Labour Party votes came from the Igbo community.
The Elders resolved to take several actions:
1. Formally petition President Muhammadu Buhari, Commander‑In‑Chief of the Armed Forces, expressing sadness and disappointment over the developments.
2. Send a protest letter to the National Assembly and other relevant agencies.
3. Dispatch a high‑powered Igbo delegation to Lagos to meet state leaders and foster a lasting, cordial relationship between Igbos and Yorubas.
4. Direct the Secretary‑General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, together with the Council of Elders, to set up an enquiry into the killings and property destruction.
5. Ensure that all perpetrators are brought to book and that victims receive adequate reparations and compensation.
Concluding, the Council declared that Ndigbo will no longer stand by while their kin are humiliated, brutalised and killed. Accordingly, Ohanaeze Ndigbo was instructed to establish an emergency telephone line for victimised Igbos in Lagos to report incidents.
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