The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has strongly criticized the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, insisting that the security challenges facing the South East are caused by killer herdsmen, not members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Reacting to the CDS’s recent warning against supporting IPOB and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), IWA accused the federal government of misrepresenting the facts about the South East’s security situation.
At a community forum in Omor, Anambra State, where Group Captain Ibrahim Bukar represented him, General Musa had described IPOB’s activities as a threat to national unity. But in a swift response, IWA, led by its National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, faulted the military’s position.
“IPOB Are Aggrieved, Not Criminals”
According to IWA, IPOB is not a terrorist group but a peaceful movement of aggrieved youths protesting decades of marginalization.
“These are our children demanding justice and inclusion, not terrorists,” the women said. “Since the civil war, the South East has been systematically excluded from leadership positions and national decision-making.”
They pointed out that no Igbo has occupied the presidency since 1966, and that Igbo officers and professionals often face systemic discrimination, particularly in the security services.
Target the Real Threat — Killer Herdsmen
IWA argued that instead of demonizing IPOB, the military should confront the herdsmen who have been attacking and displacing communities across the region.
“Fulani herdsmen, heavily armed with AK-47s, roam our communities with impunity, killing farmers and raping women. Yet the government continues to look the other way,” the women said.
They condemned the practice of granting amnesty to violent criminals in the North while clamping down harshly on peaceful protesters in the South East.
Militarization Worsened South East Insecurity
The group blamed the federal government’s military operations, particularly the infamous “Operation Python Dance,” for the current security crisis in the region.
"Before the military siege, the South East was among the most peaceful parts of Nigeria. The deployment of soldiers turned our communities into battlegrounds," the women lamented.
They also accused security forces of using checkpoints to extort travelers and of carrying out indiscriminate attacks on villages whenever criminals ambush security operatives.
Silent Invasion and Mass Displacement
The women raised alarm over what they described as a systematic plan to displace indigenous Igbos from their land. They cited the influx of unfamiliar faces into rural communities and the sustained attacks by herdsmen.
“These strangers now outnumber natives in some villages. Their activities suggest a sinister agenda to take over our land,” the statement warned.
Demands for Action
IWA called for immediate dismantling of military roadblocks across the region and demanded genuine dialogue between the federal government and IPOB to address the root causes of discontent.
“If the federal government truly wants peace in the South East, it must stop scapegoating IPOB and confront the real threats head-on. Dialogue, not suppression, is the only path to lasting peace,” the women insisted.
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