Hundreds of women on Wednesday reportedly stormed the streets to protest against the presence of Nigerian soldiers in Ohafia local government area of Abia State.
Their grievances are hinged on the fact that their children cannot go to school and they alleged that soldiers rape women in the area and commit other crimes in the community.
It was gathered that the soldiers have been in the community for one month.
An eyewitness who was at the scene of the protest said that, “the militarisation of Igboland is not the best solution to problems in Nigeria,” as the women marched out in their numbers.
He said, “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.”
“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.”
