The Apex Igbo Sociocultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the seven Igbo-speaking states will not participate in the proposed June 12 Democracy Day nationwide protest.

The National Deputy President of the Ohanaeze faction, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement on Sunday, said the decision is a strategic response aimed at safeguarding Igbo lives and properties across Nigeria.

According to Isiguzoro, Igbos’ properties are always targeted each time such protest occurs in the country.

He stated that the insecurity in Igboland makes the protest an unwelcomed event because it might escalate beyond control.

The statement read: “In light of extensive consultations with key Igbo stakeholders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo hereby announces a decisive and unequivocal stance regarding the upcoming June 12 Democracy Day protests.

“This decision is not a withdrawal from civic responsibility, but rather a strategic response aimed at safeguarding Igbo lives and properties across Nigeria, particularly within the Southeast region.

This was as he proclaimed that the Igbo people will refrain from participating in these protests, and asserted that no gatherings will be permitted across the seven Igbo-speaking states until the fundamental issues concerning the Igbo are addressed adequately by the Nigerian government.

“Our historical involvement in national protests has left us with bitter memories marred by betrayal and violence, and over the last 65 years since Nigeria’s independence, evidence has shown that during previous protests against government actions, Igbos have been unjustly demonized and treated as scapegoats, resulting in tragic consequences.

“Moreover, the prevailing insecurity in the Southeast renders any form of protest imprudently hazardous. It is crucial to emphasize that the Igbo nation shall not participate in any national protests until our pressing demands are duly recognized and acted upon.

“Most critically, the immediate release of all Igbo prisoners of conscience unjustly detained in various prisons, and notable among those is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, along with others.

“The federal government has demonstrated selective justice by dismissing felony charges against certain individuals while our own brothers remain imprisoned without just cause. This double standard cannot continue.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels compelled to convey a sobering truth to Mr. President not to misinterpret our non-involvement in national protests as a sign of weakness. We recognize the precarious state of democracy in Nigeria, and while June 12 serves as a reminder of our collective struggle for democratic governance, the Igbo remain resolute in the face of adversity.”

ASA