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The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has appealed to Nigerians to stop profiling Ebonyi State negatively over what is perceived to be the criminal activities of a few indigenes.
The President of the Ebonyi chapter of the organisation, Peter Mbam, gave the admonition in a statement in Abakaliki at the weekend.
Mbam was reacting to a video circulating on the social media, which showed criminal suspects in Anambra State, alleged to be Ebonyi State indigenes.
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He said the criminality of a few individuals should not be used to profile Ebonyi or other states, negatively.
“The state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership is consulting other states of the Southeast to stop profiling Ebonyi negatively in this guise.
“Ebonyi indigenes operate legitimately in these states and should therefore not be seen as criminals,” the statement said.
The Eastern Updates reports that this is coming a fortnight after the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru appealed to the apex Igbo socio-cultural group to protect the image and value of Ndigbo from being tarnished by enemies.
Nwifuru who spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, gave the advice shortly after a meeting with the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.
Nwifuru who also reacted to the viral video portraying Ebonyi people as criminals in Anambra State, described it as a purported attempt to tarnish the corporate image of the state and Igbos in general.
He urged the leadership of Ohaneze to remain a leading umbrella of Unity and Progress in the southeast zone, adding that no Igbo man can attain the level of sainthood by tarnishing the image of his or her brother, but ‘would summarily dent the collective image of the Igbo nation’.
The Governor, Nwifuru, however, enjoined the leadership of the group to use their influence in extending the content of their slogan, “ONYE AGHANA NWANNEYA” in propagating the unity and oneness of the people of the zone.
