The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to offer an official apology and pay N10 trillion in compensation to the Igbo people over historical injustices stemming from the 1966 coup and the subsequent Nigerian Civil War.
The demand follows recent revelations by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, who stated that the coup was not an Igbo-led operation, as previously alleged.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Deputy National President of Ohanaeze, stated that Babangida’s declaration reaffirmed long-standing concerns about the misrepresentation of the 1966 coup, which ultimately led to devastating consequences for the Igbo people, including the Biafra War.
He noted that the loss of approximately three million Igbo lives, particularly women and children, remains a deep scar in the history of the region.
The group insists that the Nigerian government must acknowledge its role in the events that led to the war and the marginalization that followed.
Ohanaeze asserts that successive administrations have continued policies that exclude the Igbo from full participation in national affairs.
These include economic neglect, limited political representation, and restrictions on infrastructure development, such as the continued non-functionality of major seaports in the Southeast.
Misrepresentation cost Igbo tribe dearly – Ndigbo
According to the statement, the mischaracterization of the 1966 coup triggered severe repercussions, including the July 1966 counter-coup, which led to the assassination of Nigeria’s first military Head of State of Igbo descent.
The organization views Babangida’s remarks as a crucial step toward correcting historical misconceptions but insists that the federal government must take further action.
“The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, extends its profound appreciation to General Ibrahim Babangida for his courage in officially declaring that the January 1966 coup was unequivocally not an Igbo coup,” the statement read.
“This pivotal acknowledgment is not merely a correction of historical nomenclature but a significant moment in our collective pursuit of justice and reconciliation, signaling a potential end to the historical vindictiveness and cruelty that have been pervasive in Federal Government policies towards the Igbo Nation.”
Ohanaeze further stressed that the demand for N10 trillion in reparations is not arbitrary but serves as a symbolic recognition of the immense suffering and losses endured by the Igbo people.
The organization also called for accountability for those responsible for the events that led to the war and its aftermath.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo counters Wike
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the President-General of the apex Igbo socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, had firmly stated that nothing will make him deny his Igbo identity. Addressing criticisms against him, he dismissed them as baseless and rooted in misunderstanding.
Speaking on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Opobo Elder Statesmen-4-Sim in Port Harcourt, Azuta-Mbata reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara while also upholding the principles of inclusivity and unity.
