The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, have berated the Arewa Consultative Forum for describing the agitation for self-determination by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and others as declaration of war on Nigeria.

ACF had said IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was bent on pursuing a cause, which it described as an open declaration of war on Nigeria.

Ohanaeze and MASSOB in separate interviews with our correspondent said the ACF should concern itself with how to restructure Nigeria to address imbalance, marginalisation and inequity that gave birth to agitations for secession in some parts of the country.

The spokesperson for Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, said given the popularity of geopolitical identification, it would be  an injustice for a zone to have five states when others have six and one has seven.

He said, “That is an obvious injustice whether military or civilian, but the important thing is that most Nigerians have come to terms with the injustice meted to the Igbo by leaving them with five states while others are with six and seven states.

“It is worrisome because it is a representative democracy because the number of states determines the number of local government areas, the number of persons in the House of Representatives, the revenue allocation from the federation account, among others.

“Any God-fearing person will know there is a need for us to correct the injustice. It has to do with the will.”

On the agitation for self-determination by IPOB, he said “Evidently, we have many agitations in Igboland, including IPOB and MASSOB. But Ohanaeze wants a restructured Nigeria rooted in justice, equity and fairness and that is what Afenifere is talking about. That is what the Middle Belt is talking about and that is what the South-South is talking about.

“The solution is clear; somebody said this is what you are doing to me and I don’t like it, let us come to a table and reconcile. That is what we are talking about; dialogue.”

MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, said, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has never declared or proclaimed war against the Nigeria state. The activities of pro-Biafra agitators are covered and protected by Nigeria’s fragile constitution, African Charter on Human and People’s Right and United Nations Declaration on People’s and Human Rights.

“So, the people of Biafra will always remain resolute and unshakeable in our quest for Biafra actualisation and restoration. ACF and their rigmarole antics will never deter us from separating Biafra from Nigeria.”