Yuletide: Ohanaeze Urges S/East Govs To Provide 250 Buses For Stranded Igbo Residents In Abuja, Kano, Other States

By Alex Odeh

The pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it is imperative for the governors of the five Southeast states to provide at least each 50 buses to Igbos resident in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos among others to cushion the effect of transporting themselves home this Christmas.

This was conveyed through a press statement issued on Sunday in Abakaliki and signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President General and Chief Chinenyeze Ohia, National Spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

According to the statement, the gestures by the governors would not only address the impact of the prevailing exorbitant costs of transportation, but would also provide security to the Igbo while returning for the Christmas celebrations .

The all important Igbo body also charged the Southeast governors to beef up security around border communities in Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo as a way of safeguarding lives and preventing against potential terrorist incursions, especially from fleeing Northern bandits.

The statement reads in part, “As we approach this festive season, we face an unrelenting economic downturn that has resulted in unprecedented hikes in transportation fares. This unfortunate circumstance has rendered numerous intending Igbos in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and other regions in Northern Nigeria unable to return home to the Southeast to reunite with their families.

“Even those Igbos capable of affording the exorbitant travel fees are filled with trepidation, driven by the pervasive concerns surrounding unresolved security issues throughout the nation, particularly in the Southeast. It is, therefore, the responsibility – indeed, the moral obligation – of the Southeast Governors to respond with urgency and empathy to these pressing challenges confronting our people.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo implores the Southeast Governors to take immediate action by facilitating the return of our people stranded in various parts of the country. We call for the provision of at least 250 free buses (50 buses from each Southeast state) to transport our citizens back to their homes this festive season. Such an initiative would serve as a gesture of goodwill and solidarity, reinforcing the bond of our Igbo heritage and culture during this joyous yet challenging period”, it stated.

Moreover, Ohanaeze Ndigbo expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for mitigating insecurity in the Southeast, “The collaborative actions of the Nigerian military and allied security agencies have significantly restored normalcy, allowing many Igbos to reclaim their territory after a prolonged absence due to security threats. It is with this newfound safety that we can once again gather with our loved ones to celebrate the Yuletide season.

The statement added, “However, we stress that security must remain a paramount focus. Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges the Southeast Governors, in their roles as Chief Security Officers of their respective states, to enhance security measures, particularly around border communities in Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo States. This is a crucial step toward safeguarding lives and preventing any potential terrorist incursions, especially from fleeing Northern bandits.

“Let it be known that any Governor failing to take appropriate measures—be it the provision of free transportation or the fortification of security—will face the ire of the Ndigbo people. In contrast, those who heed this call for action shall be recognized and celebrated for their dedication to the welfare of Ndigbo.

Ohanaeze thanked President Bola Tinubu for the establishment of a military training depot in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State – a significant development, it said represents a departure from practices historically restricted to the Northern regions since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

The body reiterated its resolve and commitment for advocating the welfare of the Igbos.