Buhari Is Turning Into A Dictator – Ohanaeze

Ohanaeze Accuses Buhari Administration Of High Handedness

The National Executive Council, NEC, of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, yesterday, accused the Federal Government of “receding into an authoritarian regime,” detaining outspoken Nigerians for speaking their minds.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Media Aide of the President General of the association, yesterday, Chief Emeka Attamah.

Rising from its meeting in Enugu yesterday, Ohanaeze gave the example of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who it said was recently arrested and detained for several days without telling him why he was arrested.

The statement read in part, “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned the recent arrest, detention and harassment of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe by the Department of State Services, DSS.

“Abaribe’s detention was an aberration because under the law, nobody should be detained for more than 48 hours without being charged to court or released.

“His incarceration and harassment could make others with the interest of the nation at heart to develop cold feet instead of contributing ideas to the growth of the nation.

“Ohanaeze regretted that by the action of the Federal Government, the country is gradually receding into authoritarianism.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership also criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for comparing the killings in Plateau State with that of Zamfara State, stating that the situation is unfortunate.

According to the statement signed by his media aide, Emeka Attamah, yesterday, “the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo described the comparison by President Muhammadu Buhari of killings in Plateau State to those of Zamfara State as most unfortunate.”

The foremost Igbo body said that “it believes that no human life was greater than the other and that two wrongs do not make a right.

“Rather than compare the number of casualties, the Federal Government should rejig its security apparatus, stop further killings and appease the families and communities affected by the senseless killings.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo expressed the fear that from the trend of events, it appeared as if General T.Y. Danjuma’s outcry that there was a grand design by some people to carry out ethnic cleansing in the country and that government was colluding with them was justified.

“The group called on the government to allay the fears of the people, especially with the double standards being exhibited by the Federal Government in the handling of the issues of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the suspected herdsmen.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo observes that while the Federal Government proscribed IPOB a harmless organization, Miyetti Allah which has openly claimed responsibility for most of the attacks for just the killing or rustling of their cattle has been going around .

‘If government could label IPOB a terrorist organization, there was no reason that Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of cattle herders should not be proscribed and their leaders prosecuted.”

It stated that the federal government refusal to arrest Miyetti Allah for its statement that the attack was a reprisal attack if the Government is not partisan.

“Ohanaeze is asking: how many suspected Fulani herdsmen have been taken to court for either the killings in the country or for carrying Ak-47 rifles about in the full glare of security operatives, contrary to the provisions of the law.”

It wondered what should be the punishment for those herdsmen alleged to have killed more than 200 people in a Christian-populated area in Plateau State if five Christians have been condemned to death for allegedly killing a herdsman.”