Igbo women under the aegis of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, have demanded immediate release of Eze Ndigbo in Lagos, Chief Frederick Nwajagu, arrested in 2023 over his alleged threat to invite members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to protect Igbo lives and property if the Federal Government failed to protect them against unprovoked attacks during the elections.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Chief Nwajagu
Recall that Ndigbo living in Lagos State came under severe and unprovoked attacks before, during and after the 2023 presidential election for their unfeigned support for the presidential ambition of the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi.
IWA members during a press conference in Enugu
Peeved by the wave of attacks against Igbo interests in Lagos, Nwajagu, in a viral video, tasked security agencies to rise to the occasion, otherwise he might be forced to seek the protection of IPOB members against the menace.
He was subsequently arrested and kept behind bars till date.
Wawa News Global reports that despite the condemnation of his arrest, respite is yet to come his way.
Addressing newsmen in Enugu on Friday, the National President of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, who was flanked by other members of the socio-cultural organization, frowned at the continued detention of the Igbo leader, and called for his release.
The women expressed shock that the same federal government persecuting Nwajagu whose only crime was threatening to invite IPOB to protect his people against unjust attacks, has maintained criminal silence over the recent genocidal threat against Ndigbo in Lagos and other South Western States.
They wondered why the security agencies have not arrested any of the promoters of #IgboMustGo campaign.
IWA accused the federal government of double standard wondering why Chief Nwajagu would continue to be in detention why none of those who attacked Igbo interests during 2023 polls has been arrested.
Igbo women also renewed their call for the unconditional release of IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, saying his continued incarceration is fueling the tension and insecurity in South East.
Arguing that Kanu’s release will help restore peace and security to the zone, Igbo women urged President Bola Tinubu to heed the growing appeals for his release.
“As mothers, we feel the pains of the families of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and Chief Nwajagu, who have continued in detention for seeking justice and equity for Ndigbo.
” We demand their immediate release, and the release of all Igbo people whose detention is politically motivated”.
Igbo women also called for an end to the humiliation of travelers at military checkpoints in the South East.
They strongly condemned the practice where commuters are ordered to alight from vehicles at military checkpoints and trek across before boarding again to continue their journey.
IWA described the treatment as slavery and called for the withdrawal of soldiers from checkpoints in the South East.
The women said that instead of military checkpoints, the police who have better training in handling the civilian population should rather be drafted to the roads while the soldiers are withdrawn to their barracks until when needed.
“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”.
IWA also condemned extortions at checkpoints in South East, and appealed to heads of security agencies to call their men to order.
The lamented adverse effects of such harmful practices including humiliation of commuters by security agencies, on the economy of the zone.
” Our youths are now deserting South East, and our economy is collapsing. Investors are scared because of harassment by security agents at checkpoints. Nigeria should stop treating us as slaves. South East is the only zone with the highest number of security checkpoints on the road”.
