Ike Ekweremadu, former deputy Senate President, has revealed why he was attacked in a foreign land by suspected members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).
Mr Ekweremadu, a federal lawmaker representing Enugu West at the Nigerian Senate was assaulted at the weekend when he went to participate in a cultural festival of Igbo extraction in Germany.
Those who attacked him said they did so because of his refusal to speak up on insecurity bedeviling Enugu State. The domain where the lawmaker hails from has recently witnessed a spike in criminal activities ranging from kidnappings, killings among others.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the aggrieved attackers while weighing in on the matter said the action of his men was because the politician helped in ensuring IPOB was proscribed despite their non-violent approach of the group initially.
Mr Kanu thereafter advised leaders from the geo-political zone not to henceforth embark on any foreign trip for their own safety.
Addressing journalist while returning from Germany on Monday, Ekweremadu said those who attacked him did so because they were under the influence of alcohol.
“I think they were just people who were misdirected and misguided. I had the feeling they were under the influence of alcohol. They don’t represent the feelings of our people. There is nothing to worry about,” Uche Anichukwu, media aide to the lawmaker quoted his principal to have said.
“What we will do in this circumstance is to leave him (Kanu) to his conscience, the verdict of history, and possibly the repercussions of ingratitude. But I hope he won’t go to the extent of attacking any of the South East leaders anywhere.”
Ekweremadu also said those who invited him for the occasion has apologized for the embarrassment, leaving the Nigerian government and their German counterparts to take whatever action they wish to take.
“The organisers, the Igbo in Germany, have written a letter apologising for what happened. Everybody is free to go anywhere because those ones don’t represent the behaviour of Nigerians abroad.
“For me, I have moved on. The government and authorities of Germany are free to do whatever they wish about it,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
He also advised South East leaders to go about their business and discard the threat of the secessionist leader.
Meanwhile, a former federal lawmaker has suggested security steps public office holders are to take should they be invited for engagement outside the shores of the country.
