ABUJA/Nigeria: The Igbo Community Association FCT has raised the alarm over what it described as a long-standing and dangerous imbalance in federal infrastructure allocation, citing the deplorable condition of road networks linking Abuja to the South East as a grave threat to security, economic activity and national cohesion.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its President General, Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, and Secretary General, Emmanuel Chinwoke Onah, the association decried decades of neglect that have left major highways to the South East in ruins, turning them into hotspots for criminal activity and placing travellers at constant risk.
The group said the persistent abandonment of the roads by successive federal administrations and lawmakers has not only endangered lives but also undermined trade, worsened youth restiveness and deepened feelings of marginalisation among South East communities. It described the situation as unacceptable and called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on the affected road corridors.
According to the association, the poor state of the roads has emboldened criminal elements who exploit the neglected routes for kidnapping, robbery and other illicit activities, thereby worsening insecurity in the region and discouraging economic investments.
The Igbo Community Association FCT urged federal lawmakers and the Minister of Works to urgently intervene and restore the Abuja–South East roads to standards befitting a region it described as central to Nigeria’s unity, commerce and development.
Emphasising the economic relevance of the South East, the group noted that the region has continued to contribute significantly to national growth despite infrastructural neglect. It therefore demanded equitable resource allocation, improved security and infrastructure development to guarantee safe passage, better livelihoods and genuine inclusion in Nigeria’s development agenda.
The association warned that the patience of South East communities is “wearing thin,” declaring that failure by elected representatives to address the road crisis would attract political consequences. It cautioned that come 2027, voters would be mobilised to vote against lawmakers who fail to act decisively, stressing that the ballot remains a powerful tool for accountability.
Reaffirming its mandate, the Igbo Community Association FCT said it remains committed to protecting the rights and aspirations of Igbo people in the Federal Capital Territory, across Nigeria and in the diaspora. It added that its ultimate goal is the rebirth of an Igbo renaissance—one marked by dignity, opportunity and leadership within Nigeria and beyond.
The group concluded by calling for urgent action from the relevant authorities, insisting that continued silence and inaction would only worsen insecurity and deepen national discontent.
