The recent visit by the United Nations to Igboland has drawn the ire of pro-Biafra groups who accused the body of failing to see the real victims of the Biafra crises, in an aftermath of the Nigeria Army invasion of the South-East, when the army wreaked havoc on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The pro-Biafra group who since the disappearance of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has remained inactive, are annoyed that the United Nations, whom they ab initio saw as the comforter, ignored them on their visit to the “slaughter land” but chose to visit the “elitist” apex Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Angry reactions
Independent observers, however, view pro-Biafra group’s angry reactions as misplaced, recalling that even Ohanaeze Ndigbo at a point was accused by the Federal Government of supporting the young Biafra agitators.
The United Nations, last week, reportedly visited Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a follow up to a petition Ohanaeze wrote to the world body, expressing the Igbos’ ugly situation in Nigeria.
President-General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo said the group on July 12, 2017, wrote to the Secretary-General of the United Nations about the security infrastructure in Nigeria, particularly as it affects Ndigbo, to which the UN on October 10, responded, indicating that it will send its representatives for West Africa and the Sahel.
The UN delegation was led by the special representative of the Secretary-General of UN, Ambassador Mohamed Ibn Chambas. The delegation met in a closed door meeting with Ohanaeze after which it expressed its concern about the Igbo question in Nigeria. Leader of the delegation, Ambassador Chambas said that the UN was recently worried about the developments in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East, noting, however, that the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, stands for a united Nigeria where human rights are respected but not trampled upon. Chambas said: “We indeed came to commend them for the leadership they have demonstrated; few months ago we were all getting a bit worried with events and developments in South-East of Nigeria but thanks to their leadership and their initiatives, they were able to bring together the chiefs and the political leaders and governors and respected persons of South- East and through this intervention, we now see that calm is restored and all are working to advance the one Nigeria agenda. “The secretary-general believes in this one Nigeria project because he had always said that a united and peaceful Nigeria is not only for the people of Nigeria, but indeed for the people of West Africa and for all of Africa. We know the strength the people of South-East bring to Nigeria and to the sub-region.
