Don’t Repeat Operation Python Dance, Ohanaeze Warns Army

President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo who spoke out on Tuesday about the plan by the army, faulted the guise of possible election crisis by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, as insinuated by the army to unleash another round of human rights violation across Igbo land. Nwodo insisted that IPoB was a not a troublesome organisation but a self-determination group whose threats of election boycott had never diminished any election but had rather increased awareness and turn out for such exercises. Nwodo also warned that the army may in the other way be planning to scare the people of southeast from turning out enmass to cast their votes on the election day with their road blocks and other forms of brute force they usually employ during the exercise of operation python dance. Nwodo said “Our attention has been drawn to the marching orders given by the Chief of Army staff to Division and Garrison Commanders in the South East of Nigeria to go after IPOB members in the region in order to forestall their threat to boycott the forthcoming general elections and instead hold their own referendum. “Ohanaeze is disturbed that this kind of order might be misconstrued to execute carnage, drowning in shallow water and inhuman and degrading treatment on our youths as happened in the last operation python dance in Abia State. “IPOB remains a peaceful organization championing self determination. Their last threat for boycott of Anambra state elections witnessed no violence but instead we saw a higher turnout of voters than in the previous elections. The army did not order any such operation then as they are ordering now. “We hope this operation is not aimed at scaring the people of the South East from coming out to cast their votes. We should be allowed to use our traditional rulers, community leaders and religious leaders to restrain our children.” ]]>