The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has called for an abrupt end to the extortion of motorists and commuters by operatives of the Nigerian army who are fond of using Igbo youths living within areas of their operation to indulge in the illicit act.
OYC National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka while addressing news men at Awka on Saturday 30th January 2021, noted that such act, apart from the risk and danger it poses to life, is also a deliberate scheme to frustrate Igbo travellers heading to their different destinations.
Comrade Igboayaka stated that all the federal and State highways in Igbo land which include Owerri Onitsha express, Owerri Portharcourt express, Enugu-Benue express, Asaba-Benin express, Owerri-Aba express, Aba-Portharcourt express, Umuahia-Akwaibom Calabar, Enugu-Awka express etc are occupied by indiscipline and criminal mind soldiers and police who severally have shot drivers and passengers at a slight provocation because of #50 or #100.
He advised Igbo youths to resist the urge of recruiting them by Nigeria army at various checkpoint to embark on such illegal and criminal venture, adding that it exposes them to danger and corruption.
According to him, five Igbo youths died sometime last year at the military checkpoint while in the process of collecting money from motorists for the army personnel when crisis arised.
Condemning the act in its totality, Igboayaka issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Army to desist from engaging Igbo youths to extort money for them from motorists or face massive resistance from irate youths.
Comrade Igboayaka call on the new chief of army staff Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru to act quickly to withdraw all army checkpoint, to avoid possible community clash between army and Igbo youths, stressing that henceforth any army or Igbo youth caught in act of stealing or extorting drivers will be treated like common criminal by Igbo youths across Igbo land.
