Okechukwu lsiguzoro, the factional Secretary-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo says the people of the south-east region will not join the planned nationwide strike against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The planned protest which was initially championed from the north is slated to hold from August 1-10 across the nation. Nigeria's younger population is protesting the economic hardship that has been occasioned by the government's recent economic policies.

Speaking in a statement from Abakaliki on Tuesday, July 16, he said the Igbos will not be used again, citing that the South-East have been used as sacrificial lambs in previous riots.

According to him, young individuals in the region have died and properties lost due to previous riots.

He stressed that what matters most to the South-East was the release of Nnamdi Kanu, not participating in the nationwide protests.

The statement reads, “As Nigerians prepare for nationwide protests against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to express their frustrations over the harsh economic conditions and rising prices of essential commodities and petroleum products, OHANAEZE NDIGBO, the apex igbo socio-cultural organization, has taken a firm stance on the upcoming protests scheduled from August 1st-10th, 2024.

“Drawing from the painful history of past riots and protests in Nigeria, such as the 17th April 1978 ALI MUST GO Protests, the 24th May 1989 ANTI-SAP RIOTS, the 1993 June 12 protests, the 2nd-14th January 2012 OCCUPY NIGERIA protests, and the 20th October 2020 END SARS protests, which resulted in immense losses of Igbo lives and properties, OHANAEZE NDIGBO highlights the fact that Igbos have often been used as sacrificial lambs in the course of these protests.

“In the interest of protecting the lives and properties of Igbos across the country, OHANAEZE NDIGBO has made the decision to direct Igbos at home and in diaspora to refrain from participating in the Nationwide Protests scheduled for August 1st-10th, 2024, for the following reasons.

“Firstly, the security challenges in the Southeast region make it imprudent to allow any form of protest or riot to occur. Any attempt to enforce protests in the Southeast will only exacerbate the already precarious security situation in the region.

“Extremists and criminals may take advantage of such protests to instigate violence, loot properties, and cause chaos. Therefore, it is not advisable for any protests to take place in the Southeast.

“Secondly, with the fear of Igbos being used as sacrificial lambs in the upcoming protests nationwide, OHANAEZE NDIGBO advises Igbo residents in the 19 Northern States and Southwest to boycott the protests for their own safety and security. Staying away from the protests is crucial to safeguarding their well-being.

“Lastly, OHANAEZE NDIGBO emphasizes that the release of Nnamdi Kanu is of utmost importance to the Southeast region. The organization believes that engaging in protests against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not bring about the desired outcome, but rather, the release of Nnamdi Kanu will demonstrate good faith on the part of the President towards the Igbo people.”