Igbo Women Canvass Honour For Victims Of 1966 Coup

The Igbo Women Assembly has charged the federal government to apologise and set aside a day to honour Igbo killed during what they described as genocide caused by the 1966 coup.

The president of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, gave the charge at a press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday.

The group also called for the unconditional and immediate release of detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Lolo Chimezie said the book published by former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, had shown that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup as was tagged, but led to the death of over 30,000 Igbo women and children.

She said, “We want the Nigerian state to apologise to Igbos and compensate Igbos for our losses. We expect someone like former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, to be bold enough and apologise to Igbos. We demand that the Nigerian government set aside a day to recognise the people who died.”

The group lamented the spate of killings in the zone which they said had become worrisome, adding that it had made youths to leave in huge numbers for safety.

“Killing of Igbos by herdsmen has made our youths to leave the zone in droves while northern youths are now taking up the jobs in the South East. IWA is afraid of the influx of northern youths who now outnumber South East youths due to the clampdown of our youths by the Nigerian military.

“How come South East Governors were quick to clampdown on IPOB but now the federal government is not doing anything about the killings by herdsmen,” she said.

The women called on the five South East governors to rise to the defence of Ndigbo against rising insecurity.

Cordinator of the Imo State chapter, Ambassador Ijeoma Nwachukwu said they were not happy with the rising insecurity.

Nwachukwu said “We call on Southeast Governors to rise up and do something about rising insecurity in the zone. We can’t be here and our youths are being molested, killed, our women raped and killed. We are not happy,” Nwachukwu said.

She appealed to teachers and parents to help protect Igbo heritage through the language, culture and traditions.