BY EMEKA MAMAH

Igbo youths Thursday rose from an emergency meeting in Enugu, with a call for full implementation of the agreement signed by Nigerian leaders in Aburi, Ghana in 1967 as the only means of saving the country from disintegration.

The youths met to deliberate on incessant killings of southerners and other Christians by Boko Haram in the north. They said Boko Haram and their sponsors were killing Nigerians, simply because a northerner was not the President of Nigeria.

According to the President of the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, Elliot Ukoh said, “We have decided to demand full implementation of the Aburi accord, whereby Nigerian leaders agreed in principle to establish a confederation in Aburi Ghana in January 1967.

’’We are demanding for its implementation because the deliberate slaughter of Ndigbo by Boko Haram cannot go on perpetually.

’’It is unacceptable, we plead for a national conference where Nigerians will come together and decide on confederation. Therefore, on Aburi accord we stand”, Ukoh said.

‘’The systematic killing of Ndigbo in the North by Boko Haram and their sponsors, simply means that some people do not want Nigeria to remain as one entity; they hope to provoke Ndigbo to retaliate and move the country to a war situation. We believe they are tired of Nigeria.

’’The Federal Government’s assurances do not match its capacity to stop these killings. That means that the country is only being held together by Ndigbo’s endurance and tolerance in the face of such blatant provocation.

That is the point, the killings have continued. Boko Haram targets Ndigbo in the churches; at town hall meetings and even inside buses heading for the south east. The killings are systematic, geared towards attracting reprisals in the hope that a civil war could break out. They want to destroy Nigeria. It is very clear to everyone.

‘’We will not fight back the Boko Haram way, because it is not in our character to kill in cold blood; innocent northerners in our midst, and also because, we do not want Boko Haram and their sponsors to have their way. Boko Haram will fail in their bid to set the agenda. We will not play into their hands,

‘’We want to halt the wanton massacre of Ndigbo by Boko Haram. Ndigbo have been killed by our Northern brothers for more than 60 years. They are looking at the only way to seize Igbo properties in the North as abandoned properties; they want a violent confrontation but we agreed not to play into their hands.Their leaders tell us, that they are helpless. That means there is a grand conspiracy to disintegrate Nigeria violently and only a loose federation will save the situation.

This present unitary structure has proved unworkable for all to see. The mistake of 1914 (amalgamation of Nigeria) is staring us all in the face. Boko Haram wants to destroy Nigeria because a Southern Christian is president. These killings are aimed at the unity of the country.

‘’Ndigbo live in Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger among others and they cope with all their laws. Only a confederation will guarantee peace now. On Aburi we stand. Our Northern brothers want war, we don’t want war, we want a way out. We want the killing of Ndigbo to stop.’’

He however, declined comments on the death of Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, saying, ‘’I do not want to talk about Ojukwu. People tend to use OJukwu’s name to enhance their profile. We are not fighting for political space and I do not want to use Ojukwu’s name. He groomed people to continue the struggle. I do not want to talk about Ojukwu. If you noticed, I retrained from making political capital with his name. I am not a politician.’’

Asked to access the performance of President Jonathan as it concerned the activities of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, he said, ‘’Jonathan is clearly under attack. The Federal Government is under attack by Boko Haram and their sponsors and Nigerians understand.

’’We are solidly behind Jonathan. He will only disappoint us when he refuses to fight corruption headlong. Nigeria is under siege. Some people want to destroy Nigeria, because they believe their religion is superior. On Aburi we stand.’’