Women Protest Against Presence Of Soldiers In Abia Community, Say Children Are Afraid To Attend Schools

Women numbering hundreds of women in the Ohafia local government area of Abia State have stormed the streets to protest against the occupation and presence of Nigerian soldiers in their community, according to  SaharaReporters.

The soldiers have been in the community for one month.

In the protest that took place on Wednesday, according to a video obtained by SaharaReporters, their grievances are hinged on the fact that their children cannot go to school.

They also alleged that the soldiers rape women in the area and commit other crimes in the community.

A reporter who filmed the event noted that, “the militarisation of Igboland is not the best solution to problems in Nigeria,” as the women marched out in their numbers.

The reporter stated, “Ohafia women protesting that the army has occupied their territory for a long time preventing their children from going to school, raping and creating anti-social problems in the community.

“The atrocities in Ohafia caused by the occupation of the army is becoming unbearable. Hundreds of women protested, insisting that the soldiers must leave their community and their children must go back to school.

“For over a month, their children could not go to school because of the army occupation that has taken over their community.”

He noted that no other region in the country was taken over by military personnel as it is in the South-East.

“In fact, militarisation of Igbo community is an obvious case of intimidation by the federal government. You don’t observe this in other parts of the country. Why must it be Igbo land, in particular Ohafia?  

“Why should soldiers occupy the entire community for nothing? Is that the best way to keep the peace? The royal fathers have been appealing to get these soldiers out of the community and their children must go back to school,” he added.