How Buhari-led Nigerian Government Excluded South-East States From New Railway Project – IPOB

By Premium Times On Nov 3, 2022

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government over its failure to build any new railway in the South-East region of the country.

The Biafran group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, also alleged that while the government excluded the region from its railway project since it came to power, it has gone ahead to remove the tracks of the old railway in the region.

According to IPOB, despite the fact that the South-East region is one Nigeria’s commercial hubs and economic pillar in general, the Nigerian government, particularly the incumbent administration, has paid no attention to the rail system of the region.

IPOB in the statement said, “The attention of the globalized family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the continued removal of existing though obsolete rail lines in Biafraland particularly in Igbo (Southeast) territory.

The rail lines in Igboland were built by their colonial masters who saw the need for Igboland to be connected by railroads because we were one of the most civilised nations around, and also an industrial hub then as well as now.

“Unfortunately the present government headed decided to remove all the rail tracks with no plan to replace them because of their hatred against Ndigbo which is beyond comprehension.

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“It is appalling that the government of Nigeria did not lay new rail lines in Alaigbo to improve transportation or commerce but are now busy removing the old ones laid by their colonial masters.

“The Nigerian government is removing these rail tracks claiming they are using it to repay Eastern States China government loans. We ask them, when did Eastern states borrow money from China?

“The governmentof Nigeria refused to lay new railway lines into Igboland but were busy laying rail lines from Katsina to Niger Republic with resources gotten from Biafra Land. Whatever inferior, substandard, and shoddy railroads they are building now is nothing compared to what we shall build in the immediate future.”