Comrade Chigozie Ikeguru is the President -General of Ogbunike Community in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State. In this interview with our correspondent, JOHN NDU, he alleges that the Federal Government knows about the activities of the bandits and lays the blame for the insecurity in the country on the doorstep of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Excerpts:
What is your take about the level of insecurity in the country?
My brother, the country as it is now is our creation. We are victims of our making. The issue of banditry and kidnapping has not been there before this administration. If it was, then it wasn’t at this magnitude. Last time, it was recorded that in a secondary school in Kaduna, over 300 students were kidnapped by bandits. It was the same case in Zamfara State and so on. If you are reasonable, you have to link it to some school of thought who postulated that it is because of the influx of foreigners, due to our porous borders and that people from Niger Republic, and other surrounding countries were imported by this administration with the aim of destabilizing the Jonathan administration. But, when the Jonathan administration decided to give out power without squabble, you find out that these people ended up having bandits in their hands. Even from the confession of one of the bandits, circulated on the social media, he said it was government that provided them with guns. So, what’s the intention of government in giving them the guns; probably to create havoc? When you give an untrained person a gun, especially illiterates, you know what it means. So, banditry is the creation of this government.
Are you saying that this government created banditry?
Since the creation and independence of Nigeria, we had never had it this way. Never.
You said the bandits were imported. Who imported them?
Of course, Jonathan was in PDP, so automatically the opposition did it. The APC did it. They created this monster and now, it is like a cancer eating up everywhere; it is eating up the country. To me, they had these people around to destabilize the Jonathan administration, so that Nigerians would perceive insecurity and thereafter, mount pressure on Jonathan to vacate office. But, the reverse was the case. Now, they have the war equipment in their hands and the explosion is what we are experiencing now.
What do you think is the best solution to this?
The solution is simple. They (APC government) brought them. They had agreement with them. So, they should honour the agreement they had with the bandits ab initio and let them go. For example, if I have an agreement with you to kill someone and before I get there, the person has died, you must pay me. It’s is an agreement. Moreover, our security chiefs are jokers. There is no way someone will import ammunition without a licence. The service chiefs know about all the arms importation. I may be tempted to say that this government has a hand in the booty. Yes, it is booty. It is a lucrative business now. Fulani men before didn’t carry AK-47. The only weapon they had were sticks and knives or machetes because of any dangerous animal that might attack them in the bush. But now, herdsmen go about proudly with AK-47. The truth is that they cannot source it on their own.
So, what is your take on farmers/ herders clashes?
Truly, that one is a situation I do not understand how it came about. I know because we had lived with herdsmen before now without troubles. I am telling you from experience. I am more than 50 years old now. They were harmless then and were mindful of our crops, but suddenly, guns went into their hands and trouble came up.
Have you witnessed any herdsmen/farmers clash in your community?
In my community? No. What we heard some time ago was that they destroyed someone’s farm and when we reported to the state government, it was resolved with compensation and the herdsmen left the community. But, that doesn’t mean other communities don’t have problems.
Coming down to the 2023 general elections, do you think Igbo presidency is achievable?
Yes, I think it is. Taking into consideration that the Igbos have not produced one. Take away the civil war; I believe the civil war is still predicated in their minds where northerners see us as people they can’t give power because they believe we are enemies. They believe if we get power, we will still remember the civil war saga. But, it is wrong. The British has amalgamated us and we are in a marriage called Nigeria. In as much as it is not an agreeable one, but for the purpose of that marriage, and to ensure continuity, there should be equity and fairness. The north and west have occupied the presidency. The south-south also tasted the presidency through Jonathan, then what about the South -East? By virtue of the law of fairness, Igbos should be given such an opportunity. We have qualified people. Igbos are hardworking and have managerial skills. As we had decided that presidency should go to the north after Jonathan, there should be a decision also that the presidency should go to the SouthEast. So, it’s realizable. What we need is oneness and respect. Not where an Igbo man will come out, another Igbo man will sabotage him. Our leaders should come out in one voice and support whoever that has indicated interest for the presidency. We should come together irrespective of states in the South East. So, since we are in this entity called Nigeria, we should have our equitable position.
Do you subscribe to the creation of Biafra?
Personally, I don’t subscribe to it. See, this administration has marginalized the Igbos that is why you hear of Biafra and IPOB. If our leaders play fair by appointing Igbos into prominent positions, the agitations by IPOB and for Biafra will die off naturally. All these agitations were not there during the time of Jonathan, or in the time of Obasanjo. So, it is because Igbos are marginalized and schemed out from the government of this country. They are not longer giving appointment or recognised. So, if Igbos are giving their equitable share, it will end all these agitations. So, the summary of IPOB and Biafra is marginalisation of the Igbos.