Maduako Igbokwe l Monday, October 26, 2020
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Non indigenes in Anambra state, under the aegis of Association of Non Indigenes in Anambra state (ANIAS) has told governor Chief Willie Obiano, they were not responsible for the vandalisation of properties in the state.
They dismissed the claims that they were responsible for burning and looting in the state.The group said that they were law abiding people and have no hand in the incidents in the state. Recall that Anambra state government had alleged that the end SARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums suspected to be non indigenes .
According to a statement issued, signed by the President of the group, Chief Nweke Chigozie Henry and the Director of Youth and Students Mobilization Comerade Godwin Otu and the Publicity Secretary Mr Okey Maduforo, the association said they were not responsible for the vandalisation of property in the state.
“The attention of Association Of Non indigenes in Anambra state has been drawn to allegations that the perpetrators of arson and violent protests under the guise of #endSARS are non Indigenes in Anambra state.
“Much as we would not like to join issues with our working Governor of Anambra state over this allegation it is important that we make the facts clear. That the non Indigenes in Anambra state are peace loving people going about their lawful activities without posing any threat to the law of the land .
“That through our businesses we have contributed to the Internally Generated Revenue of the state in no small way. That the miscreants perpetrating this dastardly act cannot be said to be non Indigenes but hoodlums who capitalized on the endSARS protest to loot private and Public property.
“We wish to use this medium to urge all non Indigenes in Anambra state not to allow themselves to be used by the hoodlums to create a breach of peace in Anambra state” it stated.
The group also called on non indigene living and doing business in Anambra to stand up to the occasion and protect Anambra, else miscreants will infiltrate the towns and cities and perpetrate mayhem, leaving suspicion and blame in their wake.
” For everybody living and working in Anambra, Anambra is our own and we ought to protect it just like the indigenes would” it added. ANIAS appealed to the Anambra state government to include three members of the Association of Non Indigenes in Anambra in the list of members of the panel set up on the endSARS protest as it would go a long way in identifying the real arsonists who are being branded non Indigenes. The association said it would continue to make meaningful contributions to the socio-economic development of Anambra state.
