By Cheta Enyoghasi
Igbo women under The National Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), have called on the Federal Government to withdraw soldiers deployed across numerous checkpoints in the South East region, claiming that criminals would attack and abduct people at nearer points but would not be apprehended.
The President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie claimed that soldiers in the region are more interested in extorting money from motorists and harassing commuters, rather than their assigned tasks.
Chimezie expressed anger and humiliation for travelers, who are forced to disembark from their vehicles and cross checkpoints on foot before rejoining their vehicles, questioning the offence the Igbos committed to be facing such humiliation by soldiers.
She questioned why the military assigned to Igbo land to combat insecurity had practically abandoned their duty to indulge in extortion and humiliation of the people of the region.
The group demanded that the Federal Government withdraw the soldiers immediately and encourage the police to protect the people, as they are more approachable than soldiers.
“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”.
