Igbo Groups lament on Almajiri relocation to Southeast

The highest Igbo socio-cultural organisations, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo National Council (INC) and the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) have lamented the increasing relocation of the Almajiri to the Southeast despite the interstate travel ban by the Federal Government and they have kicked against the relocation.

They accused security agencies of complicity in the free movement of the Almajiri, which they said makes a mockery of the interstate travel ban. Ohanaeze President in Anambra State, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, said it was left for the people to protect themselves since the Federal Government has “failed to effectively enforce its order.”

“The Federal Government is not ready to protect us. We must take our security in our hands. No other person can do that. We’re ready and we warn those without a mission in the state to find alternative abodes. This state can’t contain us and them, he said

The Igbo National Council, INC, described the relocation of the Amajiri to the Southeast as an assault on the Ndigbo, The Nation reports. INC President, Chilos Confident urged Igbo leaders to reinvigorate their vigilante outfits and initiate an identification exercise in their communities.

“We also enjoin the vigilante groups to commence regular combing and security of all the forests of our communities. INC will do everything possible to protect the citizens and territories of the Igbo nation-states,” he said.

Ohanaeze youths, in a statement by its National Deputy President, Dr Kingsly Dozie, urged the Southeast states to ensure the Almajiri return to where they came from.

“We will no longer tolerate the sabotage by security operatives who should man our borders and stop the influx of the Almajiris, including suspected Boko Haram extremists.

“We are engaging our youth vigilante groups to take charge of the borders. Enough is enough. We are warning all the security operatives to adhere strictly to the ban on interstate movement. We are now positioned to check the borders ourselves.

“We will not condone the sabotage from greedy and selfish security operatives and businessmen. The lives and property of our people are very important to us,” Dozie said in a statement.