The Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) Worldwide, a pan-Igbo socio-political group, has demanded for an additional state in South-East to bring the zone at par with other zones in the country.
The NUF made the demand in a two-page communique issued on Sunday, after the group’s two-day annual convention held between in Enugu, to discuss issues involving Igbos and Nigeria in general.
The communique was issued and signed by the National President of NUF, Chief Augustine Chukwudum.
The NUF said it is demanding for an additional state in the South-East because it’s the only zone with five states, which it added amounts to a shortchange of the zone and its development efforts.
“Today, other zones have six states and the North-West seven states. We call on the National Assembly constitution review committee to ensure equal numbers of states for all the geopolitical zones,” it said.
The statement called for justice, equity and fairness towards the Igbos, adding that all the political parties in Nigeria should field presidential candidates of Igbo extraction in the 2027 presidential election.
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“This is the only way to give Igbos a sense of belonging and acceptance in Nigeria,” it said.
The NUF urged President Bola Tinubu to “declare war” against bandits and armed herders who are maiming Nigerians in their farmlands, adding that the president should permit local vigilante groups to bear arms .
“We condemn the killing of our people in Anambra, Enugu and Imo States recently by bandits and armed herders and call on South-East governors to work togther to tackle these menace.
“South-East governors should mandate all the local government chairmen, presidents of town unions and traditional rulers to set-up vigilante groups in all communities to checkmate criminals and armed herders.
“We call on Igbos to be security conscious especially those residing at home (South-East) so that criminals will not overrun the zone and inflict heavy human, environmental and economic causality on the zone,” the NUF stated.