The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that the South-East region will not participate in the planned nationwide protest slated for June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day. The group said its decision was based on historical experiences, insecurity, and concerns over marginalization and selective justice.
In a statement released on Sunday by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Deputy President-General of a faction of Ohanaeze, the group said the Igbo people’s decision is not a rejection of civic engagement, but a strategic step to protect lives and property in the region.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo wishes to inform the general public and the organisers of the Democracy Day protest that the South-East zone will not participate in the planned demonstrations,” Isiguzoro said. “Our withdrawal is a measure of caution, not cowardice. We are prioritising the safety of our people.”
According to the group, Igbos have often paid a heavy price during previous national protests. Isiguzoro explained that over the past 65 years since Nigeria’s independence, protests and civil movements across the country have repeatedly left the Igbo as scapegoats.
“Each time national protests occur, we are reminded of bitter memories—of betrayal, violence, and loss,” he stated. “Our people have been demonized, attacked, and even killed without justice or compensation. We cannot continue to make the same mistake.”
He said that with the growing insecurity in the South-East, especially with frequent attacks and the activities of unknown gunmen, holding protests in the region would only endanger more lives. “The streets of the South-East are unsafe for peaceful gatherings at this time. Organising protests now would be imprudent and hazardous,” he warned.
The group also used the opportunity to call attention to what it described as the continued incarceration of “Igbo prisoners of conscience,” including the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Ohanaeze accused the Federal Government of practicing double standards in its approach to justice.
“Selective justice has become the norm. While some individuals from other regions have had charges dropped or reduced, our sons remain in detention without fair trials or consideration,” Isiguzoro said. “Until these injustices are addressed, we will not be part of any protest that does not first acknowledge our pain.”
He also warned that some anti-democratic forces may be planning to use the June 12 protests to destabilise the Tinubu-led government and paint Igbos as enemies of the state.
“We have credible intelligence that some unpatriotic elements in Abuja, Lagos, Maiduguri, and Kaduna are scheming to hijack the protests and use them for political mischief,” Isiguzoro alleged. “We will not allow Ndigbo to be used as tools in any plot against the stability of this government.”
Ohanaeze reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy and meaningful dialogue, but said the safety and dignity of the Igbo people must come first. “There is a consensus among our people—no protests in the South-East and no Igbo participation in any national protest until our voices are heard and respected,” he concluded.
The group urged other ethnic and regional groups to respect their decision and understand the unique challenges facing the South-East.
The planned Democracy Day protests are being championed by several civil society organisations and pro-democracy activists who are calling attention to worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and rising authoritarianism in the country. June 12 was declared Nigeria’s official Democracy Day in 2018 in honour of the late MKO Abiola, winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.
However, with Ohanaeze’s declaration, it appears the South-East will sit out of this year’s protest movement — a decision rooted in years of mistrust and unresolved grievances.
