Igbo Youth Berates Ohanaeze over Call for Sack of Service Chiefs

By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Igbo for Nigeria Movement has described the call for the sack of Service Chiefs by the Ohanaeze as a misnomer and a deliberate attempt to distract the ongoing efforts of the military in routing the Boko Haram terrorists in the North east region.

The group said that the compulsory retirement of service chiefs and top military commanders was a prerogative of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces and not a socio-cultural group.

Its national president, Mazi Ifeanyi Igwe, in a statement Saturday alleged that a situation where the Ohanaeze elders were being used by some overzealous Igbo officers to advance their agenda is indeed worrisome and calls for concern.

He said, “The call for the sack of the service chiefs is not only baseless; it was done in poor taste and with sinister motives. it is therefore consequent to state that since 2015, the business of kidnapping for ransom had been reduced to its barest minimum due to the presence of military personnel carrying out military operations in many parts of the country, including the South East region.”

“The Ohanaeze elders should be wary of being used as a conduit by some overzealous Igbo officers to advance their agenda for personal gains. Instead, it should dwell on promoting the unity of Nigeria”

“We at this moment wish to inform the Ohaneze elders that such calls are not within their purview and as such, they should concern themselves with the business of their socio-cultural activities.”

“We wish to state in empathic terms that the call for the sack of service chief is at best the hands of Esau and the voice of Jacob, and as such, it should be disregarded by the relevant political authorities.