The group made the declaration at the end of its Ime-Obi (inner caucus) meeting in Enugu.
Ohanaeze, which discussed the deteriorating security condition in the country as its agenda, warned that the Ndigbo should not be taken for granted.
At the Ime-Obi meeting attended by prominent personalities in Igbo land, the organization, in a communiqué read by the President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo at Nike Lake Resort, said it would no longer watch while her people are slaughtered.
The communiqué reads in parts: “Ohanaeze, having extensively considered and deliberated the lone agenda of the meeting, which is ‘Security in Ala Igbo’, and having discussed exhaustively and with deep trepidation, the deteriorating security condition in the South-East and nationwide, the assembly resolves as follows:
“Ohanaeze hereby state categorically that Ndigbo will not stand by and watch their people slaughtered.
“That Ohanaeze will defend every soul in Igbo land.
“Ohanaeze hereby nominate, activate and direct the council of elders made up reputable Igbo personalities and leaders to engage Ohanaeze state governors immediately on prevailing security challenges.
“Finally, Ohanaeze reminds Ndigbo that there have been difficulties in security in our history in Nigeria: in all these, our determination to protect our homelands and families against aggressors has never wavered and we have always relied on our ingenuity and vigilance to ensure our survival. Let nobody take us for granted.”
Those in attendance include Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Mr. Peter Obi, Chief Achike Udenwa, Prof. (Mrs.) Uche Azikiwe, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Hon. Tobi Okechukwu, and Dr. Walter Ofonagoro.
Others in attendance include Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa (rtd), Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Jim Nwobodo, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Hon. Tony Nnadi, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), Senators Frank Ogbuewu, Azu Aboti, Anyim Ude and Adulphus Wabara.
