Civil War: Igbos Demand 2.4Trillion For Damage

Igbo delegates have asked for N2. 6 trillion as compensation and reparation experienced during the 1967 to 1970 Civil War.

The South East delegates in an amendment to the proposed National Intervention Fund, stated that the present South-East and South-South zones were centres of war, which suffered massive devastation and destruction, incuring intense hardship on its citizens.

In a letter addressed to President Jonathan and distributed by the South East delegates at the confab, they asked that N400 billion should be given to Delta state where, they said, a large population if igbos were also victimized during the war.
The letter, 28 pages long, is titled “Ohaneze Ndigbo: Atrocities and Injustices Against Ndigbo” and reads:

“The case of the South-East, which bore the full brunt of the civil war for 30 months, is particularly tragic. Most of it remained a wasteland, despite General (Yakubu) Gowon’s declaration of the three ‘Rs’, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation.

“The federal government should pay N400 billion each to the five states of the South East as compensation to those who lost loved ones and properties and those still suffering dislocation today in Nigeria. The same amount should also be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state.”
“All fair minded citizens of this country are wont to agree that the former Eastern Region and part of former Mid West Region, which encompass the present day South- East and South- South zones of Nigeria were theatres of the civil war which devastated the two regions and brought untold hardships to their citizens.
“The principal function of state, is to guarantee the security and safety of its citizens.

“It is heinous when rather than protect, the state turns its weapons on its defenceless citizens; wages war against them; deliberately imposes policies that marginalized them; refuses to atone for the injuries caused and pretends that all is well. ”It noted that the litany of what the Igbos had suffered in Nigeria should be presented if and when the Nigerian government sets up a body to work out the reparation to settle the civil war issue.

“Boko Haram insurgency in parts of the country, and especially in the North East Zone, has brought up the issue of reparation and reconstruction in whatever guise, to the fore and the National Conference through its Committee on Devolution of Power has tackled it headlong.

“Since what is good for the goose is good for the gander, the Conference cannot afford to ignore the yearnings of our people to rehabilitate and reconstruct the war divested South-South and South-East zones through the proposed National Intervention Fund or through any other integrated platform or plan available to the Federal Government.
“Several panels set up by the Federal Government including the Oputa Panel, had approved reparation for war damages, but till date, this has not been addressed.”
“Starting from 1945, Igbos have been killed with the connivance of state authorities to appease misguided angers of local people especially on religious grounds,” it said.“Let us consider than an Indian writer, Rushdie, wrote the blasphemous book against Islam, Igbos living in northern cities of Nigeria were butchered in thousands for something they knew absolutely nothing about.