SAN FRANCISCO, November 30, (THEWILL) – The five-year-old Boko Haram insurgency has claimed the lives of over 200 Igbo indigenes just as multi-million naira properties belonging to Igbos from South Eastern Nigeria, have been lost in the crisis in the Northeast, a socio-cultural association for indigenes of the five Southeastern states residing in Borno State, Igbo Welfare Association (IWA), disclosed on Weekend.
President General of association in Borno state, Chief Maclaw Nwaogu, disclosed this while speaking at the inauguration of the new executives and award ceremony of the association, Saturday, in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Appealing to the state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, to look into the plight of widows and orphans of the Igbo indigenes killed in the crisis as well as those of other non-indigenes, Nwaogu urged the governor to make good his promise of renovating the Association’s Hall that was vandalised at the peak of the insurgency.
According to Nwaogu, “We remain very appreciative when in your early tenure you offered us free transport in a season like this. Shortly after that, it is like the security challenges affected that gesture. However, with the cream of new Igbo leadership, we call on you to remember our numerous members who want to travel home to spend this year’s Christmas.”
Speaking further, Nwaogu said: “It is pertinent to bring to your notice that internally displaced people of Igbo extraction are been catered for by Igbo Welfare Association. We are appealing to your government to help us remedy the situation.”
Promising to carry everybody along in managing the affairs of the Association, the President said: “There is no gain saying the fact that the insurrection in the North east has brought to our activities to a lull. But under this regime, working together with all and sundry will be given the needed fillip.”
The ceremony also featured the presentation of awards to Governor Shettima, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai El-Amin El-Kanemi; the Chief Medical Director, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Prof. Abdulrahaman Tahir, as well as members of the Igbo community who, according to the association, have distinguished themselves in their various callings.
