Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu’s attackers’ll face German laws

By Chioma Gabriel, Anayo Okoli, Omeiza Ajayi & Chinonso Alozie 

Ekweremadu

The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has said the attackers of Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President, will be prosecuted under German laws, which stipulate fine or imprisonment of up to 10 years for physical assaults, depending on the gravity. 

This is just as angry reactions continued to trail the action allegedly carried out by loyalists of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. The Association of South-East Town Unions, ASETU, yesterday, called on Igbo political leaders to quickly address the anger in the South-East region. 

Address anger in Igboland, ASETU tells Igbo leaders In a statement in Owerri by ASETU National President and Secretary, Emeka Diwe and Gideon Adikwuru, respectively, the group condemned the attack on Ekweremadu, describing it as inappropriate, stating, however, that any society that fails to plan for  their youths would be heading for a rebellion. They added that the pains the youths in Igboland are currently undergoing was no longer a thing to pretend about and that time had come to look into it holistically, pointing out that the drama in Germany could happen at home.

According to ASETU, “we received with shock the news of the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Germany by some Igbo youths. We wish to state that this represents a dangerous phase in the ongoing agitation for a better society by Igbo youths. 

We condemn the violence in strong terms. “However, we hold that the incident is a sad development, which serves as a pointer to the scale of mass resentment against Igbo leaders by the people. Therefore, we advise that urgent steps must be taken to address both the remote and immediate causes of the angst in Igboland. Nnamdi Kanu’s an ingrate — Asari Dokubo In a similar vein, Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force, NDPSF, has blamed Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader for the attack on Ike Ekweremadu. 

In a video, Dokubo condemned the attack, saying Ekweremadu spearheaded the release of Kanu from prison. 

He said: “Fellow Biafrans, I saw this coming: that a Frankenstein monster was being created. I saw the signal, I saw the red flag and I warned you that if something is not done about Nnamdi Kanu, he will consume the Igbo people. And you did not listen. “Ekweremadu, who I know very well was one of the people who made this ingrate, Nnamdi Kanu, to come out of prison. “I am privy to most of the discussions and I feel very sad. I participated in those meetings. Ike Ekweremadu and Abaribe were the arrowhead that moved for the release of this ingrate. “If this dangerous path is not stopped among Igbo Biafrans, where one man arrogates to himself the right to give life and to pronounce death, you will be in fire because others will fight him.” 

Embassy’s statement 

In a press statement shared with TheCable yesterday, the embassy of Nigeria in Berlin said the threat level of the event had been classified as “minimal” by the German police, hence the lack of security personnel at the event. 

According to the statement, “the Embassy of Nigeria, Berlin, Germany, wishes to react to viral videos of a vicious physical attack on the immediate past Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, by some members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, in Nuremberg on August 17. 

“The attack happened at an event organised by Nigerians in Germany on the platform of a socio-cultural organisation known as Ndigbo Germany, a registered entity in the Federal Republic of Germany. 

“The organisers reportedly requested for police protection to ensure public order during the event, but were told that the threat level was minimal and did not require stationing of any personnel at the venue before the incident. 

“The Embassy has requested a thorough investigation of this attack with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them swiftly to justice in accordance with German laws.”