No One Will Attack Lagos, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Assures Gov Sanwo-Olu

Three days after the police in Lagos State raised alarm of an imminent attack on the state by separatist groups, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group has urged residents not to fret.

President-General of the group, Professor George Obiozor, during his meeting with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the State House in Marina on Thursday, assured that no one would attack the state.

Obiozor’s assertion follows a statement by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, which alerted the state to alleged plans by the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and other separatist groups to “attack soft targets in Lagos”.

Odumosu had said no fewer than 24 separatist groups had been identified in the state, including “agitators for Oodua Republic by some Yoruba separatist groups”, whose alleged threats is aimed at disrupting law and order in the state.

But speaking at the Lagos government house, Obiozor told the governor that the Igbos are non-violent people and that rumours of a planned attack by IPOB should be ignored.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, revealed part of the discussions Ohanaeze had with Sanwo-Olu at the meeting.

He tweeted, “No one will attack Lagos – Group affirms. Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide in State House Marina, asks Governor @jidesanwoolu to ignore rumoured IPOB threats to attack Lagos. Group says Igbo are not violent people”.

Meanwhile, IPOB had in its response called out the commissioner and accused him of trying to incite hate between the Igbos and Yorubas.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emmanuel Powerful, the group said “The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who made the allegation is a former Chief Security Officer to Bola Tinubu and their intention is to fuel division between the Yoruba and Biafrans; but, it won’t work. This is not 1967”.

IPOB is a separatist group seeking secession of Igbos in the South-East and parts of South-South from Nigeria. The group has been proscribed by the Nigerian government.