The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has lambasted Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa for what it described as hate speech against the Igbo nation, describing it as condemnable.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs was quoted to have said in a live television interview that Ndigbo in Nigeria deserves deaths and elimination because in his words, “the South East habours criminals, rebels and arsonists”.

But the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Amb. George Obiozor, in a statement through the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia on Sunday, said “his caustic and inflammatory attacks against the entire people of the South East,” was unwarranted and demanded an unreserved apology and restitution from him.

In the statement titled: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemns Bulkachuwa on his misguided attack on South East,” Ohanaeze said, “it is shocking and unbelievable that a Senator and Chairman of a strategic Committee in the Senate, Foreign Affairs, could make such an incendiary attack against the Igbo people without any provocation whatsoever.

“The Igbo demand for the Presidency of Nigeria is within their rights under the laws of the land. They have not breached any section of the constitution by making such demands.

“It is therefore a gross gratuitous insult for Senator Bulkachuwa to rain such unguarded invectives against a major region in the country. I have tried to obtain some internet facts on Bulkachuwa, the only significant information on him is that on June 10, 2020, his constituents in Bauchi commenced a recall process on him; and no more.

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“Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemns Bulkachuwa unreservedly for spewing such hate speech on a major Nigerian ethnic group. It is highly inconceivable that a senator and husband of a highly placed judicial officer, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, would habour such evil wish for a significant section of Nigeria.

“This goes to show clearly the wicked mindset of some people in power who have no other objective but to turn the country into killing fields in the pursuit of hidden ethno-religious agenda. While Nigerians are united against the bandits that physically abduct, torture, maim and kill, worse harm is caused by incendiary rhetoric as espoused by the Bulkachuwas in high places.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide therefore demanded an “unreserved apology and restitution from Bulkachuwa for this unwarranted assault.”

The group also called on the Senate president, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal, to “reprimand Bulkachuwa publicly as a deterrent to some others who do not understand their oath of office and allegiance to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”