INC Lauds Imo Govt Over Demolition of Shanties Used For Criminalities, Condemns CNG’s Blackmail

The Igbo National Council (INC) have stressed its disappointment in the reports of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) over demolition of forests and shanties used for criminalities by Imo state government as a move aimed at evicting Northerners from the state.

INC in a release issued by its President, Comrade Chilos Godsent on August 1, 2023 while condemning the CNG’s report which it described as blackmail against the state government lauded the government for its determination to ensure “to improve the safety and security of the Imo State Residents”

“The Igbo National Council (INC) have read with total disappointment of a publications on the Online Daily Post of 30th July, 2023 credited to Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), captioned “CNG Expresses Concern over Unprovoked Eviction of Northerners from Imo”.

“The aforementioned caption is a wicked, malicious and deliberate Propaganda targeted to furiously blackmail the Government of Imo State by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).

“We read the misinforming and blackmailing press statement by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) as aforementioned, and was compelled to respond because of the misleading and misinforming statistics given by the CNG in the press Statement over the number of shanties demolished and the number of people displaced which was over inflated and full of lies”

The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide thinks that this deliberate and orchestrated malicious lies, blackmail and propaganda by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) against the Imo State Government is very provocative and capable of misleading Nigerians and therefore incite ethnic Conflict in other parts of the country.

The INC states that the forests and Shanties demolished in various dangerous locations in Owerri Suburban by the Imo State Government Taskforce on illegal structures in the aforementioned Press Statement of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) are forests illegally inhabited by criminals where they have recently illegally erected Shanties and used same locations for criminal activities ranging from Illicit Drugs Trading, Kidnapping, Armed Robberies, Prostitution, Child Trafficking, etc.

“We wish to also inform the misinformed Leadership of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) that the said forests and Shanties demolished by the Government of Imo State were inhabited by citizens cutting across every State, ethnic group and tribes of Nigeria including Igbo people from even Imo State and the Northerners has lesser population in the aforementioned locations”

The INC therefore warn the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) to stop fanning ethnic sentiment by negatively inciting Nigerians using lies, blackmails and unverified malicious propaganda.

“We therefore advice CNG to learn how to properly investigate issues of this nature before going to press”

“If the said forests and Shanties demolished by the Imo State Government were a genuine and legal residential properties we know that the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and evicted inhabitants would have approached the Court to get legal redres”

However the Igbo National Council declared its support to every developmental move and action of the government to ensure security of lives and property as it issued seven days ultimatum to CNG to retract their publications in the public domain so far.

“Furthermore, the Igbo National Council INC support every genuine efforts by the Imo State Government to raid, dislodge or demolish every Criminal hideout in the State in a bid to improve the safety and security of the Imo State Residents”

“Finally, the Igbo National Council INC hereby give Suleiman Abdul-Azeez and the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) Seven (7) days to apologize to Imo State Government and Nigerians and immediately retract that misleading, wicked lies, blackmails and provocative propaganda meant to fan ethnic sentiment and thus, negatively incite Nigerians against themselves in this tensioned and fragile State of the Nigeria State”