By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide has condemned what it described as a despicable and desperate move by former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, to stoke ethnic hate, and sectarian clashes in Rivers state and across the country.
This is as the Rivers State Chapter of the apex socio-cultural organization of Ndigbo vehemently rejected claims suggesting that Igbo residents in Rivers State attacked and destroyed goods and properties belonging to Hausa Muslim Community.
The Source reports that Dokubo, the Niger Delta militant leader-turned traditional ruler, had in a trending video, accused Igbo residents in Rivers state of attacking Northern Muslims, with a view to turning the State into a battle ground for religious and sectarian clashes.
But in a statement issued on Monday, February 16, 2026, by its Rivers State President, Livingston Wechie, the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, while distancing Igbo community in the state from any attacks on the Hausa Muslim residents or any other groups, condemned Dokubo’s incendiary and inflammatory comments .
According to Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dokubo’s unguarded and thoughtless utterances, arising from the unfortunate killing of a Benue Indigene resident in Rivers State by a wheelbarrow pusher, have the potential to undermine the peace and stability of Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.
“There is a venomous and inciting video trending online by an ex-agitator Alhaji Asari Dokubo , accusing Igbo of attacking Northern Muslims and planning to turn Rivers state into a battle ground.
“This, according to him, is pursuant to the “pandemonium” that occurred last Saturday 14th February, 2026 at about 7:00 am at the Fruit Market ,Oil Mill Rumuokwurusi, Port Harcourt, following the gruesome killing of a man identified as Higightor Wenem ,”m” aged 30 years ,from Mbagel Village ,in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue state by a wheelbarrow pusher identified as Zakara Afaaruwu “m” .
“This reaction is made for the sole purpose of guiding the gullible public to nulify Chief Asari’s misleading and malicious statement in the trending video against Ndigbo.
“With profound respect to our belief, Chief Asari Dokubo, Ndigbo are not anarchists, neither are they destroyers as he falsely portrays them.
“There is a massive thriving population of Ndigbo in Northern Nigeria ,and they are doubtlessly the highest population in Rivers state .
“Ndigbo are not insensitive to religious rights of individuals and groups irrespective of their ethnicity or race. Most importantly, there are both Christian Igbos alike, and this is very important.to state”
“The Nigeria Police Force, Rivers State Command, issued a statement on the matter which faults everything Alhaji Asari Dokubo said”,Wechie stated
The Ohaneze Ndigbo leader wondered why Dokubo could embark on the dangerous mission of distorting the facts of the unfortunate incident, even after the Rivers police Command had clarified issues.
” The suspect has been arrested and is currently in police custody while investigations continue.
“The situation is now under control and monitoring of the area is ongoing . Further developments will be communicated” Wechie quoted the police as saying.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo President, therefore, urged the State Government, security agencies and other relevant authorities to caution Dokubo against indulging in actions capable of undermining the fragile peace and stability of not just Rivers state ,but the entire country.
This is as he equally called on members of the public to discountenance Dokubo’s incendiary, misleading and mischievous claims ,as they are unfounded and baseless.
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