The youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Youth Council, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard the report by Amnesty International calling for the trial of some top military officers for allegedly committing war crimes in the onslaught against Boko Haram insurgents.

The group maintains that the report is politically motivated and smacks of double standards.

Among those indicted in the Amnesty International’s report and recommended for trial at the International Criminal Court at the Hague, Netherlands, is Lt.-General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd)., who, according to the Ohanaeze Youth Council, is not only an illustrious son of Ndigbo but a gallant military officer who served his fatherland meritoriously.

The group warned that any attempt through whatever guise to reward Ihejirika with humiliation and prosecution would plunge Nigeria into crisis, as “another Ojukwu would go to war.”

Amnesty International had yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the International Criminal Court to investigate some former and serving Nigerian service chiefs for alleged war crimes.

The crimes, according to the organisation, were perpetrated during the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East of Nigeria between March 2011 and 2014.

It said in a comprehensive report entitled ‘Stars on their shoulders, blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military’, that no fewer than 8,000 persons were “murdered, starved, suffocated and tortured to death” in the North-East during the period.

AI in the report said that it had “compelling evidence” for the investigation of the former and serving service chiefs as well as “mid-level and senior-level military commanders.”

Reacting to the report, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement issued in Umuahia today, Abia State, described the report and the agency’s call for Ihejirika’s trial as “utter rubbish.”

Isiguzoro accused some northern elements of trying to use the international body to revenge on the southern military top brass who staked their lives in defense of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

“The last insult Ndigbo can take from those who think they are the owners of Nigeria is to allow them touch Gen. Ihejirika who served his father land meritoriously,” he said, adding: “What Ihejirika and other military personnel who staked their lives fighting Boko Haram deserve is commendation and not politically-motivated prosecution.”

Isiguzoro raised these posers: “Where was Amnesty International when Boko Haram fighters were annihilating Christians in Northern Nigeria? Where was Amnesty International when Boko Haram was throwing bombs inside churches, mosques, markets, motor parks etc and killing innocent Nigerians?

“What efforts have Amnesty International made to bring sponsors of Boko Haram to book? Or will they claim they did not hear when some people threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable should ex-President Goodluck Jonathan win the 2011 presidential election?”

Ohanaeze Youth Council accused Amnesty International of “bias, hypocrisy and playing double standards.” It warned President Buhari to disregard the organisation’s report “if he wants to lead a united Nigeria.”

“Buhari should choose between leading a united Nigeria and supervising the fragmentation of Nigeria,” the enraged group said.

“They killed the first Igbo Army General, Aguiyi Ironsi, and nothing happened but this time around any attempt to touch another Igbo General will be vigorously resisted with our last drop of blood,” the group added.

It wondered why Amnesty International did not recommend the trial of those who slaughtered youth corps members from the South in the North after the 2011 presidential election result was announced or call for the prosecution of those who supervised the genocide against Ndigbo before, during and after the civil war.

Ohanaeze Youth Council claimed that apart from over 1 million Igbo killed during the war, Boko Haram and religious clashes have claimed over 200,000 Igbos resident in the North with property worth over N2 trillion .

“Why is Amnesty International turning a blind eye to the systematic genocide against Igbos in the North and the gradual annihilation of Middle Belt communities by Fulani cattle rearers?” the group queried.

“That power has returned to the North does not mean that other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria will become slaves. Nobody should use Amnesty International to intimidate anybody unless they have agreed that we are tired of this forced union called Nigeria,” it added.

Continuing, Isiguzoro said: “We cannot become beggars because Jonathan lost election, and we have no regrets making our choices in the last election. South East and South South are integral parts of Nigeria and cannot be treated as slaves.” He added: “No amount of jealously can stop Ndigbo from succeeding even in deserts because of our Jewish gene which our enemies cannot suppress.”

•Photo shows Ihejirika.

Update news