Igbo group gives Army 21 days to end operation

An Igbo group identified as Igbo National Council (INC) has given Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, a 21-day ultimatum to end the Operation Python Dance II said to be going on in the south-eastern part of the country.

The group said the south-east region is not a war zone and asked the army chief to withdraw all the soldiers posted to the area within 21 days or be sued at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Daily Post reports. In a statement signed by the group's national president, Chilos Godsent, the group said: in view of the above, the Igbo National Council, INC, has analysed the state of the Southeast and the Nigerian state and hereby state the following.

“The Nigeria state is not at war with the people of South-East Nigeria, therefore wish to call on the president and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces.

“The leadership of the National Assembly to mandate the Minister of Defence staff, Chief of Army Staff, to immediately withdraw the military arbitrarily deployed to Southeast to murder innocent civilians.“If this is not adhered to within twenty one days (21) the Igbo National Council, INC, will petition and also sue the Nigeria Army and the Federal government, to International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide against the armless people of the southeast Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the chief of army staff warned members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) against any action capable of breaching the peace of the southeast. Buratai made this known while addressing a press conference at the army headquarters in Abuja.

According to Naij.com report, Brutai said the warning has become necessary as the military will commence the second phase of the exercise (Python Dance II) by September 15.