The immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu has confirmed a physical assault on him by some alleged members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.
Ekweremadu confirmed the attack in a statement released by his Media Assistant, Uche Anichukwu in Abuja.
The 64-second video about the attack had gone viral on the social media earlier on Saturday.
In the video, Ekweremadu was seen being violently questioned over his alleged conspiracy with the Federal Government to proscribe the IPOB in the South East and killing several of its followers.
Decked in Isiagu, a traditional attire worn by the Igbo people on special occasions, Ekweremadu was attacked at Löwensaal am Tier Garten, Nuremberg, venue for the annual New Yam Festival of the Igbo.
The angry youths prevented the lawmaker from escaping, but he was later whisked away in a Mercedes-Benz car, even as the mob continued to beat him.
The Senator who also gave account of the event on his social media handle, @iamekweremadu, however, assured that he was safe.
He condemned the attack and said he had immediately reported it to the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Mr Yusuf Tuggar.
He said: “I attended the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nuremberg today where I was billed to give a keynote address along with the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who, however could not make it eventually.
“I was given a resounding welcome by Ndigbo in Germany and everything went smoothly until some men, who identified themselves as IPOB members stormed the venue and began to complain about the killings in the South East, stressing that there would be no Igbo event at the venue.
“I tried to engage them, but when they became unruly, I had to leave the venue. The organisers also invited the police and I was accompanied out of the venue.
“Much as I am disappointed in their conduct, especially as I am one of the persons, who have spoken up on justice for Ndigbo, the Python Dance, judicial killings in Igbo land and elsewhere both on the floor of the Senate and in my written and personal engagements with the Presidency and the media as well as rallied the South East Senate Caucus to secure Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe taking him on bail to douse tension in the South East, I nevertheless do not hold this to heart against them, for they know not what they do.
“I have received thousands of solidarity calls and messages from well meaning Ndigbo. I want to assure them that I am hail and hearty. I have also spoken with the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.”
The New Yam Festival holds at the end of the rainy season in August and symbolises the conclusion of the harvest and the beginning of a new planting season.
The age-long festival is celebrated across Nigeria and the world wherever the Igbo people live.
Using rented crowd of hungry unemployed people will not erase the harm Ekweremmadu has caused the
Igbos.