Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ikeugonna Eleke
An Igbo youth based group, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has frowned at what it considers the abandonment of Igbo indigenes in Sudan during in the wake of fighting in the country.
The group particularly pointed at the Chairman, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, as being responsible for the abandonment.
A viral video which circulated on social media showed Igbo indigenes in Sudan stranded, while one of the indigenes narrated how they (Igbo) were asked to alight from the plane for Nigerians of other extraction to board for evacuation.
In the video, the Igbo indigene begged Igbo billionaires to come to their aid, while also thanking the owner of Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema, for donating his planes for the evacuation. Speaking in Igbo, the man said: ‘You cannot blame Allen Onyema because he has donated his aircraft and does not know that his brothers are being abandoned in the evacuation exercise.’
Now, COSEYL in a press release signed by its leader, Goodluck Ibem, condemned the abandonment of Igbos in Sudan, describing it as wicked and barbaric.
‘This is barbaric and wickedness of the highest order against humanity and we condemn it in its entirety.
‘It is very unfortunate and regrettable that Abike Dabiri-Erewa who is paid by tax payers’ money which Igbos are among those paying the taxes through which she receives her salaries and allowances, will segregate against the same people contributing for her salaries and allowances. This evil and unpatriotic act against fellow Nigerians which she was employed to serve must never go unpunished.
‘Abike has committed a national and international crime and we demand for her immediate sack, arrest and prosecution without any delay. She is a national embarrassment to the nation and she should not stay a day longer as Chairman of NIDCOM.
‘We are aware that her major evil plan is to ensure that all Igbos stranded in Sudan are killed which is why she chased those innocent Igbos out of the rescue bus, but her plans are dead on arrival,’ the group alleged.
The group called on Onyema and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to prevail on Dabiri-Erewa to ensure that the aircraft sent to Sudan took all Nigerians.