The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has called on the Federal Government to demilitarise the South-East region and unconditionally release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The demands were made on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Umuahia chapter of the organisatio, led by its President, Lolo Chimezie.
The IWA President decried the heavy military presence on South-East roads, describing it as counterproductive and harmful.
She accused the military of harassing youths and exacerbating insecurity in the region.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to withdraw the military from South-East roads. Their presence causes more harm than good, creating hardship for our people. Instead of checkpoints that disrupt daily life, patrols would be more effective in addressing security concerns”, Chimezie proposed.
She also noted that the excessive militarisation has led to incidents where villages are attacked by soldiers in retaliation for ambushes on military personnel.
According to IWA, the continued detention of IPOB leader, Kanu, has emboldened criminal elements masquerading as Biafra agitators to commit heinous crimes in the region.
“The Federal Government must release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally if it is sincere about restoring peace in the South-East.
His release will delegitimise those exploiting his detention for criminal activities”, Chimezie added.
Chimezie called for the revival of local vigilante groups as a more effective way to tackle insecurity, urging South-East governors to collaborate on this initiative.
She criticised the Federal Government for allegedly employing individuals of questionable character to manage the region’s security, saying it undermines trust in national security efforts.
The IWA also addressed concerns about the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, insisting that the presidency of the group should follow a rotational system.
“This is the turn of Rivers State to produce the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Attempts to sneak in candidates from Imo State under the guise of being Rivers indigenes will lead to unnecessary disputes. Ohanaeze must act transparently to restore confidence among the Igbo people”, Chimezie warned.
