Igala in Kogi State disown Biafra – ICDA tackles IPOB over secession bid.

Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.

Chairman of the Incorporated trustees of Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA) working committee, Comrade Enemona Emmanuel Omattah has disowned the secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), asking it to exclude Igala land from its territorial map.

Addressing newsmen in Lokoja on Monday, Omattah said it was an error to include Igala nation in the map of Biafra, which has neither cultural, social nor administrative affinity.

Mr Omattah who was the former Kogi State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), stated that the age-long trade relations and intermarriage between Igbos and Igalas should not be enough reason to draft them in to the agitation for Biafra entity.

“We are not part of their agitation. IPOB and Biafra cannot annex Igala nation. We are calling on Igbo people to stop including Igala nation lin their map.

“During the unfortunate Nigerian civil war led by the late Ikemba of Nnewi Chief Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu (Rtd) Igala land was attacked and severally bombed. The people that attacked us years ago cannot come around now and claim we are part of them.

“We are not part of Biafra. We will never be part of Biafra. Though we do business with them and even intermarry, that does not mean we are part of them.

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“We believe in the Nigeria project. We believe in the leadership of Nigeria nation. We have our issues with the Nigeria nation but we are not antagonistic. We will address our issues at the appropriate time, not by carrying guns and fighting. We believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria.This is the position of Igala nation,” he said.

Speaking on the alleged leadership crisis in ICDA, Omattah said the socio cultural group is being repositioned to fulfil its mandate.

“The incorporated trustees of ICDA has constituted a working committee and made me the leader of the group. The working committee was mandated to reposition ICDA, interface, consult and dialogue with other stakeholders of Igala nation, and review the constitution and work modalities for election.

“We are working to get the 21 old Igala native districts involved in Igala business. as an umbrella covering all 21 Igala native districts,who are now occupying the nine local government areas of the state,” he maintained.”