Insecurity: Igbo women urge South-East governors to revive vigilance groups

The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has urged the South-East Governors’ Forum to revive the local vigilance groups to tackle insecurity in the region.

The group also appealed to the Federal Government to withdraw the soldiers deployed to the checkpoints in the region.

The National President of IWA, Nkechi Chimezie, made the call on Tuesday, while addressing newsmen in Umuahia, shortly after the launch of the Abia chapter of the group.

She said: “We urge governors of the South-East to sit together and find a way to revive the vigilance groups we had before the coming of gunmen.

“We want the Federal Government to withdraw the military from our roads, they are harassing our youths, making them leave South-East in droves,” she said.

IWA further appealed to the Federal Government to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, unconditionally.

The group opined that Kanu’s release from incarceration would bring enduring peace to the South-East.

While launching the Abia chapter, the IWA president urged the women to come together to save Igbo culture and language and also contribute to the nation’s development.

According to her, IWA’s vision is to promote the cultural heritage and economic empowerment of Igbo women, while also contributing to the development of Igboland.

“Our mission is to promote a platform for Igbo women to come together, share ideas and support one another in our pursuit for economic, social and cultural development,” she said.

The Abia IWA Coordinator, Mrs Ijeoma Umunna, extolled the president’s leadership qualities, and pledged that the group, under her watch, would strive to achieve its goal in the state.

In a lecture, entitled “Reviving our Igbo Language and Cultural Heritage,” Prof. Nkechi Ahaike of the National Institute of Nigerian Languages, Aba, advised the women to teach their children Igbo culture and tradition.

In separate lectures and goodwill messages to the event, the speakers also urged all hands to be on deck to promote Igbo Language and tradition.