The Igbo National Council (INC) has expressed worries over the increasing violent attack and militarization of the South-East to decimate the population of the Igbo nation.

It insisted that the ongoing operation in the region is a plot by the cabal in the Presidency to invade Igboland before the 2023 general elections.

The INC further claimed that the cabal had failed to achieve the project through the RUGA program and the merciless attacks by Miyetti Allah-backed herdsmen.

In a press statement by its President, Chilos Godsent, forwarded to the press on Sunday, Igbo National Council (INC), lamented that the militarization of Igboland has resulted in the arbitrary arrest, torture, and killing of civilians in the name of hunting for unknown gunmen in the southeast and south-south.

The Igbo organization urged Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma, and his Ebonyi counterpart, Dave Umahi, to quickly convene a multi-stakeholder peace summit to address the numerous challenges that have given rise to increasing violent conflicts and militarization of the southeast region.

INC equally called on the National Assembly (NASS) to pressurize the Presidency to order the immediate withdrawal of the ‘blood thirsty’ soldiers allegedly killing unarmed civilians across Igbo nation especially in Imo and Ebonyi states.

The Council insisted that the operatives of the joint military task force lacked the prerequisite competence to maintain law and order in line with the United Nation Standard, reminding Igbo political elites that it’s high time they rose to the reality and speak out against the military brutalities on the innocent civilians.

The statement partly read, “We have observed the desperate reckless engagement of the murderous Fulani armed military gang against the armless Igbo population in our own territory. Within the last four weeks, residents of Imo, Benue, Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Akwa Ibom States respectively have been subjected to heavy attacks by the so-called unknown gunmen and the Nigeria counter joint military squad. This attack has resulted to the arbitrary arrest, torture and killings of civilians in the name of hunting for unknown gunmen.

“Scores of civilians are being killed on a daily basis yet the Igbo political elites have kept mute in the face of this unholy onslaught against the Igbo Nation States in Nigeria while their Fulani counter-parts are seriously speaking out to support their people. The reckless engagement of the Joint Military Task Force against unarmed civilians in the Igbo Nation is an indicator of a second pogrom against the Igbo Race in Nigeria”.

The five states of Southeast Nigeria are currently being ravaged by attacks by unidentified gunmen which had led to razing down of security formations, government-owned facilities, and as well killing of security personnel.