Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Heavy protest Wednesday morning, erupted in Isuochi communities in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, as youths took to the streets to protest incessant kidnappings by suspected herdsmen in the area.
The irate youths who thronged out in their numbers stormed the Umunneochi Council headquarters at Nkwoagu Isuochi where they conveyed their grievances to the Council Chairman.
This is coming less than 24 hours after the Methodist Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Uche abducted Sunday afternoon around Isuochi was freed after N100 million ransom was paid.
The protesting youths accused security agencies of doing nothing to stop the perpetrators suspected to be herders but standing on the road to extort money from innocent motorists while criminals operate unchallenged.
Decked in black attires and chanting war songs the embittered youths decried the menacing activities and atrocities of herdsmen in the area.
They carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “Enough is enough,” “Garki cattle market must go,” “Army should open Ihube/Isuochi Road,” among others.
Conveying the grievances of the protesters at the Council headquarters, Comrade Divine Uche, said that youths of Umunneochi would no longer tolerate continued harassment, torture, and Kidnappings for ransom by herdsmen in the area.
The youths accused security agents especially the Army of shielding the perpetrators instead of going after them.
They demanded immediate relocation of Lokpanta regional cattle market where they alleged, provides cover for the criminals.
The youths also demanded that the military checkpoint at Lomara junction be removed and the barricade by the soldiers blocking the Ihube/Isuochi road cleared without delay so that motorists will be plying the route again.
According to them, the presence of the military checkpoint at the area is rather providing cover for kidnappers, hence the call for its relocation.
The youths vowed that if after seven days their demands were not met, they might be forced to take laws into their hands to protect their people against criminal herders on the prowl in the area.
Adding her voice, Mrs Chetachi Obi-Nwoke, said that the locals now live in fear of herdsmen who have been terrorising the people.
She challenged security agencies to rise to the occasion to avoid angry youths taking law into their hands.
Responding, Chief of Staff to the Council Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Azubuike, who said his boss had gone to Umuahia for a security meeting with the Governor, thanked the youths for their peaceful comportment and promised to convey their grievances to the Chairman.
He noted with concern, the atrocities of herdsmen in the area and the docility of security agencies.
He expressed sadness that the efforts of the Council to open up the Ihube/Isuochi Road was being frustrated by the soldiers at Lomara military checkpoint who insist that the Council must first complete a perimeter fencing of their post there.
According to him the Council has done over 80% of the work but regretted that the soldiers have continued to frustrate efforts to complete the project.
He alleged that cement bought by the Council for the work was even destroyed by rain due to the unfriendly attitude of the soldiers.
The Chief of Staff said that the Council was already overwhelmed by the security challenges in the area and appealed to both the State and Federal Government to come to their rescue.
Efforts to extract reaction from the Army did not succeed as the Army Spokesman at the 14 Brigade Ohafia, Lt. I. Omale, said he was in a conference when contacted.
As at the time of filing this report, he was yet to revert to our Correspondent.
Kidnapping for ransom has become almost a routine around Abia North especially Uturu-Okigwe-Umunneochi axes, which many blame on the presence of the cattle market in the area.
Officials of the market have, however, denied that criminals are harboured in the market.
