S’Easterners shun Yuletide travels over insecurity, costs Cost-of-Bus-Transportation.
Many South Easterners will not be traveling to their home towns and villages for the forthcoming Christmas and New Year festivities, no thanks to the high cost of transport and the prevailing security challenge in the five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The two festivals are highly regarded in that part of the country and it is the period of the year when kinsmen, friends, and associates gather in their homestead to feast and rejoice.
However, the security challenge in some parts of the zone which has resulted in the death of many people, including security personnel, by gunmen is now scaring some South Easterners to rethink traveling home.
So much is the fear that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday issued a clarion call to the Igbo to come home for the festivities
It said its Eastern Security Network (ESN) would provide them security.
Incidentally, it is the same IPOB and the ESN that the security agencies often blame for the spate of attacks on law enforcement agents and the stay-at-home actions in the zone.
Yesterday, a random sampling of bus fares from Lagos to some major cities in the South East showed that they ranged between N33,000 and N50,000 per head.
As of yesterday, one of the private transport companies charged N50,800 from Lagos to Owerri: another charged N47,975 to Aba for each adult and N37,875 for a child, and yet another charged N33,000 from Lagos to Aba.
In effect, a family of four going from Lagos to Owerri will require N400000 to and from on transport alone.
And there are other expenses to be met while at home.
Transport operators said the fares could go up further between now and December.
Airfares from Abuja and Lagos to Enugu and Owerri are equally high.
Air Peace quoted N162,000 for an economy ticket from Abuja to Owerri for tomorrow, Sunday, and N266,000 from Abuja to Enugu on the same day while Owerri to Abuja is N95,500 and Enugu to Abuja is N95,400.
The airline quoted N381100, N143000, N181100, and N238000 for Lagos to Enugu for December 15,16,17/18, and 19 respectively, and NN314400, N285800, and N238200 for Lagos to Owerri for Dec 16,17 and 18 respectively.
IPOB to Ndigbo: Please, come home, your security is guaranteed
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful said the Eastern Security Network (ESN) operatives will be on hand to provide safety and maintain a peaceful atmosphere throughout the festive period.
It warned criminals to steer clear of the South East, particularly during the Christmas season, as ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers are actively working to make the region inhospitable for criminals.
The group said it was determined to tackle insecurity in the South East region and urged the Igbo to contribute to maintaining harmony for the purpose of growing the region’s economy.
It also urged them to bring their investments home to spur development and create job opportunities for the region’s youth.
“We need peace to thrive as a strategic economic hub in Africa. Every Igbo man and woman must work towards peace and security in Alaigbo,” it said.
It asked the federal government to dismantle “all indiscriminate and illegal military, police, and other checkpoints in the South East,” claiming that the checkpoints “are sources of extortion, intimidation, and harassment of travelers.”
Police beef up security in Ebonyi
The police are already beefing up security across Eboni State while the state government, residents, social clubs, and groups are planning big for the festivities.
Only yesterday, Governor Francis Nwifuru announced a Christmas bonus of N150,000 for State Civil Servants to enable them to have a good Yuletide celebration.
The spokesman for the State Police Command Joshua Ukandu assured residents, returnees, and visitors of adequate security during the period.
He pledged the readiness of the command to ensure that criminals had no space to operate in any part of the state during the period.
“As it has been the tradition of the police, no effort will be spared in ensuring that every nook and cranny of the state is policed and made safe before and during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Anthonia Adaku Uche-Anya, has constantly warned that there will be no space for criminals and other hoodlums to operate in the state and she has religiously kept the faith.
“The police command wants to use this opportunity to warn those planning to cause security breaches or engage in any form of criminal activities to have a rethink about their actions as there will be no safe haven for criminals.”
He warned that the ban on the use of fireworks is still in place, adding that anyone caught indulging in the act would be arrested and prosecuted.
He also advised parents and guidance to monitor the movements of their children and wards and to ensure that they were not cajoled into engaging in criminal activities by their peer groups.
He urged the public to report any suspected criminal activity in their area to security operatives for prompt response.
Senior Special Assistant on Security to Ebonyi Governor, for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone, Okenwa Uka assured of adequate security in the state.
“Ebonyi is the most secure state in the Southeast all thanks to Governor Nwifuru’s efforts in partnership with security agencies.
“So the state government will not relax but will keep being vigilant and supporting the security agencies who are doing a great job under the direction of Governor Francis Nwifuru in securing the state,” he said.
Mr Uka lauded Governor Nwifuru for paying workers an N150,000 Christmas bonus, noting that this will make the Christmas worthwhile for not only the workers but also for traders.
“This will not only enable the workers to shop for Christmas but will mean that businesses will be patronized, leading to good liquidity in the state,” he said.
No chance for hooligans here, Anambra State Govt
The Anambra State Government and the security agencies in the state vowed that no space would be conceded to hooligans to operate in the state.
The Anambra State Police Command Public Relations Officer Tochukwu Ikenga told The Nation in Awka that the Joint Security Forces (JSF) were battle-ready to deal with hoodlums who might want to spoil the joy of the generality of the people.
Already, Police, Military and Defence Corps teams have been deployed to the various communities to complement vigilance groups.
Ikenga said patrol teams would also go around to keep the peace.
Information and Strategy Commissioner Law Mefor said the residents should entertain no fear as the festivities approach.
“The residents will testify after the festivities. It’s not a noise-making thing; watch and see action ” Mefor said.
Insecurity scaring us away from home —Abia residents
One of the communities likely to feel the impact of the security challenge is the Umuchima community in Isiala Ngwa North, the local government area of Abia State.
The community was recently attacked by gunmen in reprisal for a raid on an alleged enclave of IPOB in the area by soldiers.
Some residents who fled in the aftermath of the gunmen attack and are currently in Aba said they were not in a hurry to return home.
An indigene of Awka South resident in Abia State, Mrs. Chinyere Okafor, said her relations got a letter from an unknown group warning them not to return to the village this Christmas if they want to stay alive in January 2025.
Although she said that the matter has been reported to the authorities, she said that they have canceled their Christmas visit to the village to avoid falling victim to circumstances that they could avoid.
An indigene of Arochukwu, Tochukwu Okoro, said that their community was coming out of a boundary dispute and was never considering going to his village this December.
Imo braces for Christmas amid security concerns
The Police in Imo State say they are working toward a peaceful holiday period for residents.
“We have deployed additional personnel to strategic locations across the state to prevent any security breach,” Police Commissioner Aboki Danjuma said in Owerri.
Police spokesman, Henry Okoye, said that the police commissioner has directed all area commanders to ensure adequate security during and after the festivities.
“We are fully prepared for this Christmas; we have mapped out a strategy to dismantle criminals’ hideouts in the state,” he said.
“We assure all Imolites of their safety before, during, and after the Christmas and New Year festivals. We have sectorized the state for the purpose of patrolling the state for adequate security.”
Information, Public Orientation and Strategy Commissioner, Declan Emelumba, said the state government was fully prepared for the festivities and has “made adequate security arrangements for the people.”
Despite these assurances, some residents have expressed concerns about the prevailing security challenges in the region.
“We are still experiencing frequent cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, and other crimes in our communities,” said Mrs. Nkechi Okoro, a resident of Owerri.
“I hope the security agencies will live up to their promises to ensure our safety during the festive period.”
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S’Easterners shun Yuletide travels over insecurity