Ohanaeze Ndigbo raises alarm over increased checkpoints in Igbo land

macfranc007 December 24, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised a major concern

- The group has condemned the sharp rise in number of security checkpoints in the South-east

- They warned that the incessant harassment of the Igbo would no longer be tolerated

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has faulted the rise in number of security checkpoints in the South-east region this festive period.

According to the group, the rise was a ploy to harass and exploit Igbo who would return en masse for the Christmas festivities.

This was the position of the group's chairman in Anambra state, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, in a press statement made available to journalists.

Yuletide: Ohanaeze laments over increased checkpoints in Igbo land

Road blocks mounted by security agencies are a normal sight in the South-east and beyond. Source: Twitter

They maintained that it would no longer sit back and watch the Igbo humiliated under any guise.

Part of the statement read: “As we step into December, the month of festivities, with higher numbers of our people returning for the holidays, the number of check points have started increasing. We know that the target is our people who are returning.

“In the past we had asked that the harassment these checkpoints present should be addressed. The authorities would claim that they are dismantling them, but their numbers continue increasing. We condemn the practices.

“We’re not in a war. Police, Customs, Soldiers, and other security agents have formed the habit of mounting check points to extort our people. It does not matter whether people have their complete vehicle particulars, or can account for the goods that they have.

“They are treated like criminals, harassed, embarrassed, delayed from their journeys, all in the bid to make them part with money. It is mostly in Anambra State that these checkpoints are mounted, or on roads that our people pass.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemns these practices in their entirety. While it is important that the security agencies do their work, part of that work is not embarrassing travelers and extorting them. It is totally unacceptable to us.”

The group said it is working with security agencies to end the harassment by establishing telephone numbers that travelers can call when security agencies make illegal demands on them.

They called on the leadership of the security agencies to call their men to order and stop harassment of travelers and present another opportunity for the authorities to show Nigerians that they care.

Meanwhile, a South-east based organisation named Ndigbo for PMB 2019, has declared that the miraculous healing of President Muhammadu Buhari and his attainment of 75 years have shown that “God has preserved him for a purpose to better Nigeria.”

In a statement sent to NAIJ.com on Monday, December 18, the group revealed that plans have been concluded to stage a mega rally in Lagos by January 14, 2018, in support of President Buhari's re-election.

The statement which was signed by the national coordinator of the group, Prince Paul Ikonne, expressed optimism that God will use President Buhari beyond 2019 for the betterment of Nigeria.

Are Nigerians truly tired of President Buhari? on NAIJ.com TV