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The physical assault on Senator Ike Ekweremadu on 17 August in Nuremberg while the Nigerian frontline politician was attending the 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Day continues to generate controversy in Nigeria.
Kinsmen of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for example, have called for the thorough investigation, arrest and prosecution of the people, alleged to be members of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who carried out the attack on the senator in the German city.
Speaking at the weekend under the aegis of Enugu West Peoples Parliament (EWPP), they also asked for an explanation from the organisers of the event in Nuremberg, the Ndi-Igbo Germany e.V., on why they failed to provide adequate security for Ekweremadu who “in his usual act of patriotism honoured their invitation”.
They also urged the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Embassy in Germany and the Nigerian Diaspora Commission to rise to the occasion to ensure that the culprits were brought to book.
The chairman of EWPP, Jonathan Ivoke, who spoke on the group’s behalf, urged other Igbo diaspora organisations to take note of the threats of IPOB to attack Igbo leaders when outside the country and wondered “how IPOB could have attacked Senator Ekweremadu who on September 18, 2017 wrote to President Mohammadu Buhari and asked for dialogue instead of Operation Python Dance in the Southeast?”
“As a member of the National Assembly, I am also privy to numerous efforts Senator Ekweremadu has made to redeem the pride of Igboman in Nigeria, through legislations and oversight functions,” Ivoke, a member of the Federal House of Representatives said.
“This is Senator Ekweremadu who has never hidden his colour as a true patriot of the Igbo in Nigeria. He galvanized the Southeast caucus in the National Assembly when establishing an international airport in Igboland became an utmost priority and made members of the National Assembly forgo other budgetary proposals to ensure that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport was actualised,” he stated.
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He however asked any aggrieved Igbo in Diaspora to come back home and resolve their differences with their brothers instead of fighting in faraway lands.
Ndi-Igbo Germany, the umbrella union of all Igbo associations in the Federal Republic of Germany, has since apologised to Senator Ekweremadu over the unfortunate incident.
Kola Tella, Lagos
