Igbo Goups Fires Back At Junaid Mohammed, Want Him Tried For Treason

Igbo socio-political groups on Wednesday condemned the convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Junaid Mohammed, for asking Ndigbo to break away from Nigeria if they feel marginalized (Read Here)

One of the groups, Njiko Igbo Forum, said Mohammed’s statement amounted to treasonable felony.

President of the Njiko Igbo Forum, Rev. Okechukwu Obioha, who reacted to the development in an interview with Punch in Enugu, said Mohammed should be tried for treason.

Also, foremost Igbo socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in its reaction to the matter, described Mohammed as a “northern bigot.”

Reacting to Mohammed’s comments in a telephone interview with our correspondent, Obioha, the leader of the Njiko Igbo Forum, said Mohammed should be arrested and prosecuted for instigating the Igbo to secede.

He said Buhari should show that he meant business when he said there would be no sacred cows during his administration by ordering Mohammed’s arrest.

Obioha said, 

“He (Junaid Mohammed) should be arrested and charged with treason for suggesting that (secession) at all to the Igbo. 

“If President Buhari said there will be no sacred cows during his administration then anybody who is guilty of any crime should not be allowed to go scot free. “What the man (Mohammed) said amounted to treasonable felony. 

“I don’t want to go into whether the Igbo want to secede or not but now he is instigating the Igbo to secede, so he should be tried for treason. 

“This statement should not be overlooked – it is like what happened in the past when, after elections, some people said they would make the country ungovernable for the then President, although they later denied making that statement, so many things started happening.”

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, told our correspondent that the organisation would not like to join issues with Mohammed over what he described as an irresponsible statement.