At the meeting, members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo commiserated with leaders of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) over the killing of northerners in Abia.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Secretary-General of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Mazi Okecukwu Isiguzoro, said: “We commiserate with the northern leadership over the death of northerners in Abia and we sympathise with all the bereaved families and owners of the cows slaughtered. Igbo are devoted to providing succor to the families and people affected by what happened”.
The statement further read: “Those who carried out these heinous conspiracies against humanity in Abia, the killers of northerners in Abia are not Igbo. The preliminary investigation revealed that they migrated from neighbouring states and fled to their states after the attacks.
“We commend the Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and the Coalition of Northern Groups for their quick intervention to forestall possible breakdown of law and order, especially reprisals against Igbo living in the North. They protected Igbo and their properties.
“Accordingly, Abia State government has shown maturity in handling the matter. We advise that full compensation be paid to the bereaved families and people whose businesses were destroyed in Abia. It will be the balm to soothe the pains and trauma of those who lost their beloved ones.
“We will continue to work with the northern leadership to ensure that the interests of the north and eastern Nigeria are protected. We categorically state unequivocally that nobody will stop the northerners from doing their cattle businesses in the South. It must be by the laws of the land.
“We dismiss the IPOB’s threat to ban cattle business in the east. Igbo are doing businesses in the north unmolested, so nobody will harass those doing business in the east.”
