Politics
Killer Herdsmen, Not IPOB, Are South East’s Real Problem, Igbo Women Tell CDS
The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has urged the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, to focus on tackling killer herdsmen terrorizing communities in the South East, rather than targeting members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Responding to recent comments by the CDS cautioning residents against supporting IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the women insisted that the real threat to peace in the South East comes from rampaging herdsmen, not peaceful IPOB members.
During a community engagement in Omor, Anambra State, the CDS, represented by Group Captain Ibrahim Bukar, had warned that IPOB’s activities, especially on social media, endangered both regional and national security. However, in a swift rebuttal, IWA accused the federal government of misrepresenting IPOB’s role in the region’s unrest.
In a statement signed by its National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, IWA maintained that IPOB is not a terrorist organization but a peaceful movement agitating against the marginalization of the Igbo people.
Our Children, Not Terrorists
“We want to remind Gen. Musa that IPOB members are not terrorists but our children protesting the systematic exclusion of the South East from Nigeria’s political and economic structures,” the statement read.
The group highlighted historic injustices, noting that no Igbo person has occupied Nigeria’s presidency since the assassination of Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi in 1966. IWA also pointed out persistent discrimination against Igbos in military and federal appointments, citing poor representation, unfair promotion practices, and limited employment opportunities.
“These injustices have disillusioned Igbo youths, making them reluctant to join the military or police forces where their peers from other regions advance more easily,” IWA said.
Focus on Killer Herdsmen
The women criticized the federal government’s approach of granting amnesty to violent criminals while clamping down on peaceful IPOB members.
“Why is the government granting amnesty to bandits and mass murderers, while killing and imprisoning peaceful IPOB protesters?” the statement queried, adding that Fulani herdsmen carrying AK-47 rifles across the South East posed a greater threat to security than IPOB’s activities.
IWA called on General Musa to deploy security forces to the forests and rural communities, where killer herdsmen have been displacing farmers and terrorizing women, instead of targeting innocent civilians.
Security Forces Accused of Abuses
The group also blamed the militarization of the region for escalating tensions, recalling that before the launch of military operations such as “Python Dance,” the South East enjoyed relative peace.
IWA accused security agents of using military checkpoints as extortion points and alleged that reprisal attacks by soldiers against villages following assaults by unknown gunmen have further displaced thousands of residents.
“When criminals attack security personnel at checkpoints, soldiers often retaliate by sacking entire communities, burning markets, and displacing innocent villagers,” IWA lamented, citing the burning of markets in Orsu and other parts of Imo State as examples.
Alleged Agenda to Displace Igbos
The group also raised concerns about the influx of unfamiliar individuals into the region, alleging a coordinated agenda to take over South East lands through displacement and intimidation.
“There is an invasion of our land by strange faces engaging in menial jobs and surveying our communities. These people are not IPOB members. They outnumber the locals in some villages, yet nothing is being done to stop them,” IWA warned.
Call for Dismantling of Roadblocks
The Igbo women concluded by demanding the immediate removal of military roadblocks across the South East, describing them as hubs for extortion and major causes of hardship for road users.
They emphasized that if the federal government truly desires peace in the South East, it must engage IPOB in sincere dialogue, address legitimate grievances, and confront the real security threats posed by armed herdsmen.