Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, has accused the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) of trying to instigate another civil war in Nigeria.
Umahi made the accusation on Sunday when he led the governors of the south-east to meet with Nyesom Wike, their Rivers state counterpart, over reports of alleged attacks on the Igbo.
Soldiers had been accused of killing residents of Oyigbo, a predominantly Igbo community in Rivers, following a clash between security agents and IPOB, now outlawed by the state.
In a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, spokesman to Wike, Umahi was quoted as warning the Igbo to be wary of the Biafran group.
He said they visited the state to confirm reported attacks on the Igbo but “their findings has proved otherwise”.
“Umahi after listening to Governor Wike’s narration of the atrocious activities of IPOB in Oyigbo that culminated in the imposition of curfew in the entire Local Government, warned Igbos to be wary of IPOB as the group was bent on instigating another civil war that will result in the murder of Igbo people,” the statement read.
Wike told the delegation that Rivers “will continue to be home” to the Igbo, whom he said the state has an enduring relationship with. “Tell your people, Rivers people will continue to live together with Igbos,” he was quoted as saying.
”Don’t allow your sons to tell you lies. Igbos are innovative and hardworking. There can’t be Nigeria without Igbos. Nobody should take them for granted. But that doesn’t mean you must allow criminals to spoil your name.
“If I hate Igbos, I won’t appoint your son into my state cabinet two times. But you have to obey rules. Don’t allow criminals to dictate to you.”