Igbo women have called for the immediate disarming of violent herdsmen wreaking havoc in various agrarian communities in South East, lamenting that farmers are scared of going to farm due to attacks and criminal activities of the herders.
The visibly agitated women who spoke under the umbrella of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, also demanded the dismantling of multiple military checkpoints across South East, claiming that they are stifling the economy of the zone and driving away the youths who allegedly suffer humiliation and molestation at some of the checkpoints.
Addressing a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State over the weekend, IWA National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to quickly come to the rescue of Igbo rural dwellers who are mostly farmers “as they no longer go to farm” as a result of incessant unprovoked attacks by criminal herders.
Lolo Nneka who was flanked by other women, regretted that no arrests had been made after the recent barbaric slaughter of farmers including two brothers in Enugu State by suspected herders.
The IWA President argued that since there is no case of cattle rustling in the South East, no herder in the zone should be allowed to bear weapons.
She said that “the excuse by the former President that he permitted herdsmen to bear arms because of cattle rustlers” is lame and should not apply in South East as there has not been any incident of cattle rustling in the zone.
The women lamented that despite killings and maiming of innocent citizens by murderous herders, security agencies are yet to frontally engage the perpetrators.
IWA decried the high cost of food items in the zone, blaming it on the activities of criminal herders which have taken a toll on farmers.
“We have land but we cannot go to farm again because of herdsmen. We now depend on the North to feed. We say no to this.”
They urged South East Governors to enact and strictly enforce anti-grazing laws to help checkmate the activities of herdsmen in the zone.
” Igbo people are all over the country doing their businesses. We buy our shops and build them. The same way, cattle rearing is a big business. Herdsmen should be made to buy lands for ranches and stop using their cows to inflict sorrows and economic pains on us.
” You cannot use your cow to destroy my crops and later sell it to me. It doesn’t make sense.”
Decrying what they called “militarisation of South East”, the women appealed to President Tinubu to pull the military from South East roads back to their barracks from where they could be deployed in the event of any emergency.
They suggested replacement of military checkpoints with police mobile force arguing that the police have better training in dealing with civilians.
They, however, called for reduction in police checkpoints, alleging that many of the checkpoints have become mere extortion points.
The women claimed that besides the incessant sit-at-homes in South East, multiple security checkpoints in the zone impact negatively on the economy of the people.
The IWA President frowned at the loss of man -hour and traffic congestion’s caused by excessive checkpoints in the zone.
” I slept on the road last year at Ihiala because of traffic jam caused by a military checkpoint. With the heavy presence of the military in the South East, it appears as if we are under siege.
“A journey from Onitsha to Owerri that should ordinarily not take more than two hours now take up to four hours due to multiple military checkpoints.
” It’s the same story from Onitsha to Enugu, and Enugu to Aba. Orlu in Imo State is now a ghost town. The excessive military checkpoints in South East are grounding our economy. Our political leaders should rise to the occasion.”
Igbo women argued that the essence of drafting the military to the zone is to defend citizens against criminals, hence they should not become source of fear to be people.
They advocated the use of community vigilantes in safeguarding various communities in the zone, suggesting that the vigilantes should report to conventional security agencies for prompt action.
Acknowledging the sacrifices of the military and the associated risks in the course of their duties, Igbo women strongly condemned attacks on the military or any security agency.
They particularly condemned the recent killing of five soldiers in Aba by hoodlums, and condoled with the military authorities and families of the deceased soldiers.
IWA said attacks on the military or any security agency were unjustifiable, and should not be tolerated.
“The soldiers are people’s sons, husbands and fathers. Nobody should attack them because we also gave birth to them”.
The women, however, called for the deployment of intelligence and other tactful strategies against criminal elements behind security challenges in the zone.
They pleaded with the military against the use of force, harassment or molestation against innocent citizens who are also victims of the activities of non state actors.
IWA said it was unfair to brand everybody in South East unknown gunmen, when in fact, innocent citizens bear the brunt of the criminal activities of the group.
The women also frowned at the tagging of virtually every youth in the South East, member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, apparently to punish them, saying that the sad development instills fear in the youths.
” Every Igbo youth is tagged IPOB. This is scaring them away from home. We want our sons to bury us and not we burying them. How can they come home to invest when they are branded IPOB?”
Igbo women called for a proper probe of “a certain private person who claimed he was engaged by the past administration to protect South East.”
They wondered why a private individual would be engaged by Government to secure a zone without the knowledge of the people.
IWA further tasked South East Governors on the security of the zone, arguing that there is no way they can woo investors unless they provide conducive business climate.
” Our sons cannot come home to invest when there is no conducive environment. No investor will come if their is fear in the zone”.
They, however, commended the efforts of Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State; and his Abia State counterpart, Dr Alex Otti, to give South East hope and new identity.
IWA also pleaded with President Tinubu to heed the calls for a political solution concerning the continued detention of IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, arguing that his release will help to douse the building tension in the South East.
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