By TONY EDIKE ENUGU—IGBO living in some Northern states where many Christians had been attacked by members of the Boko Haram sect are now returning en-masse to their home-states, abandoning most of their belongings. The returnees, who have been trooping home since the past few weeks, said they were residing in Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger and Borno states where they had lived and conducted their businesses for decades. They added that they were forced to return to their native-states because of incessant violent attacks on their businesses and families by the Boko Haram sect.
Vanguard encountered some of the returnees, mostly women and children, at the Ninth Mile Corner Motor park, yesterday, while trying to board vehicles to their respective homes. A native of Umuoji in Anambra State, Mr. Lawrence Okeke, who had resided in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, where he sold vehicle spare parts for several years, said he decided to evacuate his family to his home-state following the state of insecurity in Lafia. He said having suffered huge losses in the last sectarian violence, which he was yet to recover from, it would be fool- hardy for him to remain there, hence his decision to evacuate his family to his home-town. He said: ”I have been a trader in Lafia for several years and we have lived peacefully in the town until the last sectarian violence which rendered many of us homeless. We decided to stay back, but threats of fresh violence have continued. ”Most Igbo in that town have been evacuating their families back home. Some with strong investments there decided to stay back but having lost my trade, it will be unwise for me to remain in the North,” Okeke said. Another returnee from Jos, Chief Ikechukwu Obalum, from Aguleri, Anambra State, told Vanguard that he brought his wife and four children home because of increasing insecurity in the city. Obalum said: ”I will return to Jos to continue with my business there, but my family members will never return to the North.” He added that although he was aware of the risk involved in doing business in the northern states, he could not start life afresh in his home state. A mother of four from Nkanu area of Enugu State, Mrs. Kate Ejiofor, who left her Suleja residence recently for Enugu following serial bomb blasts in the town, said many easterners in Nasarawa State have been moving back to their native-states because of insecurity of life and property. An elderly man, from Imo State, Chief Boniface Nwosu, said he returned from Borno State after selling his building at a low price to enable him evacuate his family from the state he had lived for over 40 years because, the Boko Haram sect members had made life unbearable for residents of the state. Nwosu said: ’’We have lived in constant fear for the last two years because of insecurity of life and property. ‘’These people burn down our churches at the slightest provocation, kill and main people at will. ’’Sometimes, one would even be thinking that this is no longer the Nigeria we knew before. The police are helpless in this matter because police stations are also bombed and their officers and men killed. ’’I have come home permanently and will never go back to the North to do business and develop the place again. Things cannot continue that way. It is hell living there,’’ he added. Via Vanguard.
P.S DON'T HATE ME BCOZ OF WHAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH, I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT MYSELF, SO phyukOFF..
Posted: at 23-11-2011 09:52 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
sugaDaddy1forU at 23-11-2011 10:04 PM (13 years ago) (m)
If there's any group of people who are so industrious n yet have been so persecuted in Nigeria, its the igbos. An Igbo man can survive anywhere on Earth n still make it. I wonder what Hausa will do now without Igbos in the North, bcoz Igbos are the builders of any city or Govt...
P.S DON'T HATE ME BCOZ OF WHAT COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH, I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT MYSELF, SO phyukOFF..
Posted: at 23-11-2011 10:04 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
It is rather unfortunate that ndi igbo shud suffer such fate though I don't pity them for staying in the north so long wen igbo land is Lying fallow. Its time we build igbo land. Now for the never do well book haram, their waterloo is near, their days r numbered. The Nigerian govt has all it tks to combat them if only someone is willing to use our money for d safety of Nigerians. I am and I will always b proud to an igbo...God bless indi igbo
Posted: at 24-11-2011 02:35 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
karim_burke at 24-11-2011 02:55 AM (13 years ago) (m)
Quote from: ozimso on 24-11-2011 02:35 AM
It is rather unfortunate that ndi igbo shud suffer such fate though I don't pity them for staying in the north so long wen igbo land is Lying fallow. Its time we build igbo land. Now for the never do well book haram, their waterloo is near, their days r numbered. The Nigerian govt has all it tks to combat them if only someone is willing to use our money for d safety of Nigerians. I am and I will always b proud to an igbo...God bless indi igbo
AMEN
Posted: at 24-11-2011 02:55 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
escapedprince at 24-11-2011 03:02 AM (13 years ago) (m)
it's even better ! let's all put our heads together to develop the igbo country, !!! i'll be back for this topic, gotta go now for bizz, GOD BLESS ndi igbo.
Posted: at 24-11-2011 03:02 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
paulantony at 24-11-2011 03:27 AM (13 years ago) (m)
what is the president, his doing about this, when the northerners was on power. nobody fight them or bomb them.nigeria is a three country..wealther we like it or not. it time to share that country.
Posted: at 24-11-2011 03:27 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
Running away from the situation won't resolve it nor each ethnic going their separate ways. It's unfortunate that we can see beyond our noses to see our differences and uniqueness as add-on to the cohesive force to built a united country to the envy of other nations. We must make a sacrifice and that's the ultimate price the Igbo people are paying for our dear country and sincerely we appreciate it, but it can be continuous and that's why immediate action must be taken to arrest it. Otherwise the wishes of our detractors would manifest to our derision and this we must work against with all what God has blessed us with to build a great nation of ours called Nigeria.
Posted: at 24-11-2011 03:29 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
jamfraniels at 24-11-2011 04:39 AM (13 years ago) (m)
Quote from: sugaDaddy1forU on 23-11-2011 10:04 PM
If there's any group of people who are so industrious n yet have been so persecuted in Nigeria, its the igbos. An Igbo man can survive anywhere on Earth n still make it. I wonder what Hausa will do now without Igbos in the North, bcoz Igbos are the builders of any city or Govt...
You have posted a good topic for discussion but your comments here have turned it into tribal bigotry. Any determined person can survive any where with luck. It is not an Igbo thing. Have you 4gotten dat other tribes, including Hausas are also victims of the boko Haram? Police Stations, Army Barracks and United Nations' buildings have been attacked. This is not about tribe but about radical sect with foreign agenda which the current weak government has been unable to tackle. It is a serious failure of the government to protect lives and properties.
Posted: at 24-11-2011 04:39 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
this is not just a threat to the igbo ethnicity alone but also the the polity, state hood and nationhood of the country Nigeria... yet we leave relevance for the seeming relevant... fuel subsidy... we were taught scale of preference in school back then. our leaders no dey class that day?
Posted: at 24-11-2011 04:59 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming