The attacks on non-indigenes in Lagos State, especially traders from the South –Eastern part of Nigeria for allegedly voting against the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections has again brought to the question the widely held belief that Nigerians are one and can live in parts of the country without fear, harassment and molestation.

Recounting their experiences to newsmen yesterday, traders in Oshodi area of the state who are allegedly sympathetic to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed that they were not only beaten by political thugs in the state, they were also barred from opening their shops to trade.

It was gathered that the hoodlums invaded the market around 5am and destroyed some shops before the traders arrived to set up their wares. Not satisfied, they later returned around 7am to beat up some of the traders, who were assessing the damage done to their shops.

Already, there are fears in some parts of the state as the traders have vowed not to fold their hands while they are being attacked and their wares destroyed or carted away by the hoodlums.

According to some of the traders, as the invaders were destroying their wares, they were screeching: “You people refused to vote for APC.”

One of the traders, Chukwu, explained that he was heading towards his shop in the morning, in preparation for the day’s business, when he saw people running helter-skelter.

He said: “I stopped some of them to find out what was going on. I was told that some hoodlums invaded the market and were destroying goods and beating up traders. At my age, I couldn’t just start running without actually attempting to know what transpired. I have been doing business at Oshodi now for 40 years and we have never witnessed this sort of situation. A situation whereby strangers invaded our market and traders started running.”

Chukwu said that he went closer to the direction where he felt the heat of the tension was coming from. When he got there, he saw some men attack a particular set of people.

Another trader , who identified himself simply as Emeka, and whose shop was destroyed, said the hoodlums had no justification to attack the traders and their means of livelihood for exercising their civic right, adding that they were paying taxes to the Lagos State Government.

He stated, “I arrived for the day’s business only to see my shed already destroyed. When I asked those who arrived before me, I was told that some people came armed with weapons to destroy our places of business. I also learnt that they beat up some traders when they came the second time.

“This action on the Igbo is condemnable, because we are the ones developing this state. Some of the shops built by the government are sold to us because we are willing to pay any amount to get shops where business thrives.

“We are calling on the state government to put security measures in place so that such a thing will not repeat itself. As a Nigerian, it is expected that everyone will be free to do business anywhere in the country without being intimidated or harassed by anybody, regardless of who they decide to vote for.”

This unfortunate incident, according to analysts is unbecoming in a state that prides itself as Centre of Excellence.

Reacting to the attacks, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) alleged that the attack in the West could be a ploy by the Fulani cabal to instigate ethnic conflict between the East and West, should Buhari lose the election.

Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, in a statement, wondered why some Yoruba politicians would allow themselves to be used by “Fulani-dominated” government of Nigeria to attack or stop Igbo people in Lagos and other parts of Yoruba land from voting for candidates of their choice.

Powerful said: “Igbo strongholds in Lagos have been under serious attack and humiliation by the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) thugs since election day. With every event and incident, the stance of IPOB is being justified on a daily basis.

“The brazen attempt to threaten, intimidate and stop Igbo Biafrans from voting for their choice candidate is unacceptable to any right thinking person, and is a confirmation, if any is needed, that Biafrans of whatever persuasion, is not wanted in Nigeria.

“This is the state of affairs we are not prepared to tolerate. Those hatching devilish plans to attack Biafrans and their business interest in other parts of Nigeria must understand the grave consequences their actions portend.

“This latest action against Biafrans living in northern and western parts of the country is not in tandem with the so-called spirit of one Nigeria. We must put it to the knowledge of every Nigerian who wish to know, that Biafrans will not allow a repeat of 1966, when Igbo were massacred in their hundreds of thousands across Nigeria. Those behind this latest plot must not underestimate our preparedness.

“It is unbelievable that some Yoruba leaders and their Fulani counterparts would summon the courage to ask Igbo/Biafran people not to vote for the candidates of their choice because they are not indigenes. Some went as far as saying Igbo should go back to Igbo land if they want to vote for any person other than APC candidate.

“Our people living in Northern and Western parts of the country must be prepared and never entertain any fear, particularly those in Lagos and Kano States, because any attempt to commence another round of ethnic cleansing of Igbo in the north or west, will be reciprocated in the east.

“Those acclaimed paid APC/OPC thugs who had the temerity to threaten Igbo and other Biafrans living in their areas must know they are doing that to their own detriment, because Biafrans are ready to face them, should the need arise.

Our movement and struggle for Biafra freedom, through peaceful means, must not be misconstrued by anybody or tribe in Nigeria, to mean weakness. Biafrans living in any part of Nigeria, outside Biafra land, must gradually prepare for total relocation of their businesses and families, particularly Lagos and Kano States, because they have perfected plans to forcibly eject them from those states.

However, while condemning the development, pan- Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere while condemning the developments said perpetrators of the dastardly act are not members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) as generally believed. The group also assured Igbos of their safety wherever they may reside in any part of the state.

The statement signed by Yinka Odumakin, its National Publicity Secretary reads “Afenifere condemns in the strongest terms the political violence visited on Nigerians of Ndigbo extraction in Lagos during the Saturday Presidential elections”.

“Dirty political merchants and their band of thugs apart from engineering political disenfranchisement of Ndigbo,went ahead to visit violence on them and burning their votes en masse.

The political vandals they used were said to have been calling themselves OPC but our checks with the genuine leaders of the group have shown that the deranged elements had no affiliation with the OPC known by Afenifere”.

“We frown seriously at the failure of the security agencies to give adequate cover to Ndigbo in the affected communities as these thugs went berserk carrying out the instructions of their sinking political godfathers”.

“We want to assure our Igbo Brothers and Sisters that the bond of friendship the Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have built particularly under the dynamic leadership of Chief John Nwodo remains strong and will not be broken by the nefarious activities of a few strange children in our midst.

We are already in discussions with Ndigbo leadership on the matter and we appeal for calm as these political vandals are only engaged in death kicks” .

“We call on the security agencies to give adequate security covers to Ndigbo in subsequent elections as we encourage them not to succumb to intimidation and harassment by political vampires .

Our historical connectivity with Ndigbo will survive the Saturday madness and the perpetrators will be shamed eternally” .
https://www.independent.ng/disqueit-over-attacks-on-igbo-voters-in-lagos/

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But yeebos do call Yorubas coward, why can't they fight the thugs at oshodi and defeat them

Igbos are always used as d scapegoats.. D same cowards who claim Igbos are d only ones behind Atiku secretly voted for him for fear of their masters.. D Igbos have always being vocal about their stance whether it costs dem or not but dey will always stand for what dey believe in...