Influx Of Returnees In Enugu, As Elections Draw Nearer  

IN one of the drinking joints in Igboeze North Council Area of Enugu State on Wednesday was a bus loaded with passengers and households.

  As the bus passed, occupants of the drinking joint were quick in announcing that the occupants of the bus were returnees from a particular state in the North.

  “They are indigenes of this community returning from the Northern states”, somebody had muttered. Owner of the drinking bar had immediately told the story that vehicular and human movements had become regular in the area as people were either returning to the community or leaving the area en masse to other places. 

“It has been like that since this week. Buses loaded with people move from one place to another here. You know this is a major road leading to various local governments in this place, so they pass here often. You see them in trucks, buses and smaller cars as if it is

Christmas period”, she said.

  She attributed the increase in human movement to the 2015 general elections, stressing that many people who are not sure of their security are relocating in droves.

  Indeed, everywhere in Enugu, the news is common that people are relocating either from or to the state. It is now common to see vehicles with northern plate numbers coming into the state capital, even as there is influx of people into the city centre.

 What used to be common in the state with young men especially of Hausa origin that move from street to street repairing and polishing shoes for residents is no longer the case now.

 You can hardly find them on the streets any longer. Some Suya spots operated by Hausa people have been closed since this week. Majority of them travel in the night to their states of origin.

A group of friends, who said they came together about four years for the purpose of making monthly financial contributions which they took turns to collect, said they met last week and agreed to suspend until the elections are over.

  Ordinarily they make monthly contributions beginning from January to December. But for this year, instead of starting in January as had always been the case, they will now wait till the country’s political atmosphere is clear.

One of them told The Guardian: “There are ten of us that make up the group and we contribute fifty thousand naira monthly which members collect in turns. We were suppose to contribute for January this week, but two of our members who are non-Igbos said they were travelling to come back after the elections.’

  They said they are afraid that crisis could erupt after the exercise. That is where we are for now. We won’t start our contributions till the election is over”

A resident of the coal city, John Ogbu said the relocation was not good for the country. According to him, “there are purchases we make from other parts of the country, but as we are suspecting each other now, it will be difficult to buy those things from the area.’

  He prayed that the elections would be conducted peacefully. Constitutional lawyer and Chairman of Igbo Leaders of Thought, Prof. Ben Nwabueze had after reviewing the situation last week urged Ndigbo to remain where they are and cast their votes in the 2015 general elections.

  He stated that the idea of running from one state to other following uncertainties over the 2015 general elections will not help anybody.

“Go back to where you are coming from or remain where you are and cast your votes. But while doing so protect yourself, property, and family. If you however know that you cannot protect your family, please relocate to a place where you think you feel safe”, he said.

  Nwabueze stated that it was the duty of the government to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, stressing that the idea of allowing the citizens live in fear anytime there was an election was wrong and unacceptable.

Also Ohanaeze Council of Elders have urged governments of the southeast states to put in place measures that would ensure that Igbos were brought back from their various locations to Igbo land until the elections were over.

   Chairman of the group and first republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi stated that the call had become necessary following the ominous signals over the 2015 general elections, stressing that the country was developing signs that it could not protect effectively the citizenry during the period in the event of an attack or post election violence.