FORTY- Four years after, the Civil War , Igbo delegates asked for N2. 6 trillion as
reparation and compensation for the devastation Igbo land experienced during
the 1967 to 1970 war.
Igbo-men In a document titled: “Atrocities and Injustices
against Ndigbo: Ohaneze demand for Reparation” which was circulated with the
amendment to the proposed National Intervention Fund, the delegates said it was
incalculable to put a price on the death of millions of Igbo who were killed in
the civil war and other occasions.
They said: “The case of the South-East, which bore the full
brunt of the civil war for 30 months, is particularly tragic. Most of it
remained a wasteland, despite General (Yakubu) Gowon’s declaration of the three
‘Rs’, Reconstruction, Rahabilitation and Reconciliation.
“The federal government should pay N400 billion each to the
five states of the South East as compensation to those who lost loved ones and
properties and those still suffering dislocation today in Nigeria. The same
amount should also be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of
Anioma area of the state.”
The motion was sponsored by former Minister of Foreign
Affairs and a delegate on the platform of Elder Statesmen, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu,
and 14 others. The Igbo stressed that the demand became imperative following
the “atrocities and injustices committed against Ndigbo in Nigeria over a long
period.
They argued: “All
fair minded citizens of this country are wont to agree that the former Eastern
Region and part of former Mid West Region, which encompass the present day
South- East and South- South zones of Nigeria were theatres of the civil war
which devastated the two regions and brought untold hardships to their
citizens.
The case of the South-East, which bore the full brunt of the
civil war for thirty months, is particularly tragic. Most of it has remained a
wasteland, despite General Gowon’s declaration of the three “R”,
Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation.
“Boko Haram insurgency in parts of the country, and
especially in the North East Zone, has brought up the issue of reparation and
reconstruction in whatever guise, to the fore and the National Conference
through its Committee on Devolution of Power has tackled it headlong.
Since what is good for the goose is good for the gander, the
Conference cannot afford to ignore the yearnings of our people to rehabilitate
and reconstruct the war divested South-South and South-East zones through the
proposed National Intervention Fund or through any other integrated platform or
plan available to the Federal Government.
“Several panels set up by the Federal Government including
the Oputa Panel, had approved reparation for war damages, but till date, this
has not been addressed.”
In their prayers they said, “that Since the proposed
National Intervention Fund is to address the vexed issues of devastation and
upheavals caused by an act of war or by outright war itself, that the South
East and the South-South zones be adequately taken care of by the fund in terms
of the physical infrastructure, rehabilitation, development and other losses
resulting from the civil war. That the Federal Government sets up a body to
work out agreed reparation to settle the civil war issue once and for all.
The Igbo who lamented that several panels set up by the
federal government, including the Oputa Panel, had approved reparation for war
damages but till date this has not been addressed.
In their prayers the South East delegates demanded that
“Since the proposed National Intervention Fund is to address the vexed issues
of devastation and upheavals caused by an act of war or by outright war itself,
that the South-East and South-South be adequately taken care of by the fund in
terms of the physical infrastructure, rehabilitation, development and other
losses resulting from the civil war.”
Vanguard Report
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