The Igbo Women’s Assembly (IWA), a socio-cultural group, has called on the Federal Government to end the alleged political marginalisation and militarisation of the South-East.
The group also urged President Bola Tinubu to use his good offices to release all political detainees, including the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and Chief Frederick Nwajagu, among others.
The National President of IWA, Nneka Chimezie, made the call at a news conference in Enugu on Saturday.
She spoke on “The state of South-East, Ndi Igbo and recent national developments.”
Speaking on Kanu’s continued detention, she said, “Some other people had done and said more grievous things, but were not incarcerated.”
Chimezie said that it was clear to political watchers that the people of the South-East had been pushed out of the mainstream of national politics.
She said that for equity to reign, all the regions and sections of the country must be fully represented in the national politics.
“Another issue is the militarisation of the region, even when we are not in war time,” Chimezie said.
She said that one could hardly drive for five minutes on the highway in any part of South-East without meeting one or two military checkpoints.
“It is pathetic that these multiple checkpoints have started working against the progress of the region.
“Vehicles spend time in a long line and at some checkpoints, commuters are compelled to alight and trek a distance before rejoining their vehicles.
“At the checkpoints, you see that commercial motorists are extorted on a daily basis.
“We are demanding the immediate removal of military checkpoints in the region and replacing them with fewer police checkpoints to ensure smooth traffic flow,” the IWA boss said.
She frowned at the recent “Igbo-must-go” calls by some unpatriotic elements in Lagos and urged the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute those behind the calls. (NAN)
