Military Presence Fuels Sit-at-Home Fear in South East, Not Security – Igbo Women’s Leader

The President of the Igbo Women’s Assembly, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, has raised concerns over the increasing militarisation of the South East, stating that the heavy presence of soldiers is heightening fear and reinforcing the sit-at-home culture rather than curbing insecurity.

Chimezie made the comments during a town hall meeting held in Anambra State on April 24, which was monitored by NewsCentral TV.

She said the security situation in the region worsened following the deployment of military personnel. While the military was ostensibly sent to restore order, their actions are reportedly having the opposite effect.

Before the military was moved to the South East, we didn’t have it this bad. You were brought here to relax the sit-at-home. Now that you’re blocking roads, it’s like you’re helping to enforce it”, Chimezie said.

According to her, a tour conducted across the region revealed that up to 90 per cent of the insecurity in the South East was connected to the activities of the Nigerian military. She recounted a close call with soldiers in Orsumoghu, Anambra, where she said she narrowly escaped being shot.

She also shared an encounter at a military checkpoint in Olo, near Banana Junction, where soldiers allegedly harassed her and her team after they questioned why the road was blocked. Despite presenting her media ID and explaining that they were monitoring the sit-at-home situation, she said the soldiers remained hostile and confrontational.

Chimezie claimed that the soldiers’ behaviour at various checkpoints was more intimidating than protective. They cocked their guns, seized her car keys, and demand personal information. She expressed concern that such data could be passed on to criminal elements.

She further alleged that in areas like Okigwe, the military had responded to attacks from unknown gunmen by turning their weapons on surrounding communities. This, in turn, escalated tensions.

While the military has struggled to dislodge criminal elements from the forests, she noted that local vigilante groups have made more progress and earned the trust of residents. She urged the government to redirect funding toward equipping community-based security outfits rather than maintaining a military siege.

Chimezie clarified that she is not affiliated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but said the crisis in the region cannot be reduced to the group’s activities alone. She maintained that the heavy military presence is a core part of the problem and called for a strategic shift that prioritises local engagement over force.

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Confidence Ubani

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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