The President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Cross River State, Mazi Ugorji Nwabueze, has raised the alarm that there are plans by sponsors and leaders of outlawed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) to invade Calabar, capital of Cross River State on October 2.
He said they were coming under the guise of installing the Eze (king of) Igbo in the state, an action he said the Obong of Calabar and other kings of the land had objected to.
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Nwabueze raised the alarm in a letter to the security adviser to Governor Ben Ayade and copied to the Department of State Service (DSS), AIG Zone 6, commissioner of police and Commander of 13 Brigade of Nigeria Army.
Nwabueze, who is also the special adviser to Ayade on Non-Indigenes Affairs (Igbo), said a certain group of Igbo in violation of the order from the state government were coming to Calabar purportedly to inaugurate a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
He said the National Headquarters of the Ohaneze Ndigbo had denied knowledge of the event, advising security agencies to be alert.
He said he was surprised that despite that in 2018 the South East Traditional Rulers Council, which is the custodians of the culture and traditions in Igbo land, had abolished the title of Eze (king of) Igbo in diaspora, certain persons were still bent on it
“It is obvious that such gathering, considering the fragile security situations in our neighbouring Igbo states, there may be infiltrations of unknown men capable of rupturing the peace of Cross River State,” he said.