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The President-General of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has rejected the labelling of successful Igbo business people as drug traffickers by some members of the public.
The Ohanaeze leader said this during an interview on Arise News on Saturday, March 16, 2024, where he condemned the alleged persecution of the Igbos in Lagos and other parts of the country.
His comments follow the demolition of properties in parts of Lagos and Abuja, which he said appeared like an agenda against the Igbo people.
While acknowledging the right of the government to acquire any land, Iwuanyanwu appealed for compensation for those whose properties have been demolished in the ongoing exercise.
He called on the Lagos state government to be judicious in its approach and refrain from actions that may give rise to suspicion that it's after the interest of the Igbos.
He raised concern about the inherent danger and possible consequences of a trend whereby people of Igbo extraction are being maligned based on prejudice by other tribes.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to reign in those who are peddling dangerous rhetoric about the Igbo, noting that the situation had already created ethnic tensions in the country.
The Ohanaeze leader said he has managed to persuade his people to remain calm amid the challenges, saying the stereotypes against the South Easterners were borne out of sheer ignorance and envy.
"I've told my people, most of them are frustrated. I told them as their leader, don't be frustrated. It's normal human instinct. When people think you're successful, they're bound to attribute it to so many things. Sometimes, people say that drug pushers, and this and this.
"But, in my office, I've checked the record of all the people arrested for drugs. Yes, I've seen some Igbo names there, but there's no tribe in Nigeria that's not involved in drug trafficking. It's not Igbos," Iwuanyanwu said.
He also said the Igbos are concerned about the spate of kidnappings and other security disturbances in the North West and North East, warning that if not resolved, it could spread to other parts of the county earlier than imagined.