South-East NASS Caucus Demands End to Ethnic Profiling of Igbos Amid #EndBadGovernance Protests

 

The South-East caucus of the National Assembly has expressed deep concern over the ongoing ethnic profiling of Igbos amidst the #EndBadGovernance protests sweeping across Nigeria. The caucus has called for an immediate cessation of these divisive actions and urged the Igbo community to stay away from the protests and remain law-abiding.

Statement from South-East Caucus Leaders

In a statement issued by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, leader of the Senate caucus, and Rt. Hon. Iduma Igariwey, leader of the House of Representatives, the caucus condemned the targeting of Igbos as instigators of the protests. They highlighted that the Igbo leadership, including governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians, and private sector leaders, had strategically advised against participating in the protests.

The attention of the South-East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.

Igbo Leaders' Stance on Protests

The caucus emphasized that the Igbo community, following the guidance of their leaders, had chosen not to engage in the protests. This decision has been reflected in the relative calm observed in the five South-Eastern states. Despite this, Igbos continue to be unfairly scapegoated and accused of instigating unrest, as evidenced by trending hashtags like #IgboMustGo and inflammatory posts on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter).

We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed that Igbos are still made scapegoats and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements and videos seen online.

Historical Context and Warnings

The caucus warned against the dangers of ethnic profiling, drawing parallels to historical atrocities, including the civil war in Nigeria, the genocide in Rwanda, and xenophobic attacks in South Africa. They stressed that such divisive actions could lead to catastrophic consequences if not promptly addressed.

This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted and must stop. It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970.

Call for Action

The South-East caucus called on security agencies to take immediate action against those spreading hate speech and ethnic profiling, in accordance with the Cybercrimes Act. They reiterated their appeal to the Igbo community to avoid participating in the protests and to continue being law-abiding citizens.

We demand that the security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the Cybercrimes Act. We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests and remain law-abiding.

Conclusion

As the #EndBadGovernance protests continue, the South-East caucus's call for an end to ethnic profiling and their appeal for peace and lawfulness highlight the importance of unity and the dangers of divisive rhetoric. The emphasis on historical lessons and the urgent call for action against hate speech underscore the need for vigilance and proactive measures to ensure national cohesion and stability.