Coalition of South East Youth Leaders COSEYL, has alleged that the Nigerian military is on a secret mission in the zone to depopulate Igbo youths.

The group, in a tersely-worded press statement, asked the Federal Government to pull out troops deployed in the zone for special operation, accusing them of extrajudicial killings of Igbo youths.

COSEYL was reacting to the killing of a 39-year -old Owerri businessman, Mr. Noel Chigbu by the military at Amakohia junction, for allegedly “ violating their checkpoint rule” on Friday, April 30, 2021; and the unlawful killing of a first -year law student of Imo State University, Divine Nwaneri at a military checkpoint close to Imo State Governor’s Office.

The group demanded immediate prosecution of the soldiers behind the extrajudicial killings.

“We demand that the military must identify and handover those soldiers involved in the unlawful killings of Mr. Noel Chigbu, Divine Nwaneri and others to the police for immediate prosecution.”

The coalition in the statement entitled: “Nigeria military deployed to South East on a mission to exterminate Igbo youths,” expressed rage over the rate of extrajudicial killings of Igbo youths particularly in Imo and Ebonyi States.

COSEYL in a joint statement by its President General, Hon. Goodluck Ibem; and Secretary General, Comrade Kanice Igwe asked the Federal Government to stop provoking Igbo youths.

The statement read in part: “These killings and more that happened in recent times are a tangible proof that the military are on a secret mission to exterminate Igbo Youth in the South East.

“The killing of unarmed agitators while pampering of Boko Haram terrorists is a clear testimonial that Ndigbo have been marked for extinction by the Nigerian military.

“How can the soldiers paid with tax payers money kill unarmed youths just for one flimsy excuse ? This is absolute madness and it must stop forthwith!”