Anita Ogona
IGBO women have called on the Federal Government to withdraw the soldiers deployed across checkpoints in the Southeast region, saying they are constituting more problems than solving them.
They said the soldiers are more interested in extorting money from motorists and harassing commuters against what they were assigned to do.
The Igbo women under the aegis of National Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, noted with regret the humiliation of commuters on the roads by forcing them to disembark from their vehicles and cross check points on foot before rejoining their vehicles.
They lamented why such humiliating practice should be seen only in the South East, and wondered what offence Igbo committed to be subjected to such humiliation.
Speaking to journalists in Enugu the President of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chimezie wondered why the soldiers sent to Igbo land to tackle insecurity have literally abandoned their mission to engage in extortion and humiliation of the people of the region.
The women said it was always embarrassing to note that criminals would attack and abduct people at points not far from some of these checkpoints yet they would not be apprehended.
“Since they have failed to secure the people they were asked to protect, we demand that the Federal Government withdraws them immediately, police should be encouraged to protect the people as they are more approachable than soldiers who are always harsh on the people, irrespective of age”.
On the ongoing the anti-Igbo campaign in Lagos, IWA wondered why the people behind the ethnic campaign and hate speech have not been arrested by the Federal Government.
The women said the way the Federal Government is handling the matter suggests that there are different laws for different people in Nigeria.
According to the women, a prominent Igbo leader in Logos, Eze Nwajagu is currently detained and being tried because out of frustration on how Igbo lives and properties were being threatened, said if Igbo could not be protected he would call IPoB to protect them.
They said some people have committed worse breaches even against Igbo in Lagos, yet they have not been arrested for trial.
IWA noted with pains why people who threatened and even attacked Igbo in the same Lagos and those currently championing ethnic hatred against Igbo are walking freely, and wondered what offence Igbo committed in Nigeria to be so badly treated.
They therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to release both Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Chief Nwajagu or immediately arrest those threatening Igbo to leave Lagos, if the same law applies to all Nigerians.
Source: Vanguard
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