Abia Indigenes Protest Killings By Boko Haram

A group of Abia indigenes last Monday held a rally in Umuahia to protest against the killing of innocent Nigerians by members of the Boko Haram sect.

The group which called itself “Movement for Abia Re-union’’ also expressed its unalloyed support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation policies during the rally.

The group’s members who were clad in black attires, and they marched from the primary school along School Road to the Umuahia Government House.

They then delivered a letter to Governor Theodore Orji for onward transmission to President Jonathan.

Speakers at the rally included the group’s Deputy President, Chief Charles Ogbonna, and a former member of the House of Assembly in the defunct Imo State, Chief Victoria Akanwa.

Our correspondent reports that leaders of various market associations also attended and addressed the rally.

The speakers urged the Federal Government to take a decisive action to end what they called the killing of Igbos and other innocent Nigerians in the northern part of the country.

They also warned members of the Boko Haram sect against the killing of their Igbo brothers, saying “enough is enough”.

The group then applauded Jonathan for his courage and boldness on the petrol subsidy issue, and urged him to “unmask and prosecute the cabal behind the fuel importation subsidies’’.

“We also urge him to tackle the problem of rail transportation system in the South-East as has been done in other parts of the country,’’ Ogbonna said.

Responding to the group, Orji assured the members that their letter would get to the president and commended them for supporting the present administration at the state and federal levels.

He said Jonathan had good intentions for Nigerians, adding that the removal of  petrol subsidy was a policy designed to guarantee the future of Nigeria.

The governor also decried the killing of innocent Nigerians in the northern part of the country by the Boko Haram sect.

“It is a fact in our country that Igbos and others in other parts of the country had contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of their host communities.

“Igbos in particular are enterprising people and they have contributed to the development of this nation.

“All we are saying is that we should be allowed to do our business in any part of the country because the nation belongs to all of us.

“Our message to Boko Haram is that enough is enough, the killings must stop,” he said.

The rally was attended by the Transition Committee Chairmen and councillors of all the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.

Markets in Umuahia and Aba were directed to close down to enable their leaders and others to attend the rally.