The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has embarked on the rehabilitation of dilapidated roads in Umuahia, capital of Abia State.

The work is being carried out by the Umuahia zone of the separatist group, which described the project as a community service aimed at alleviating the pains road users in the the state capital go through.

Coordinator of IPOB for the zone, Okezie Anosike said the activists were challenged by the suffering of the people on Aba road, hence their decision to commence the rehabilitation exercise.

“People waste a lot of man hours on this road on a short trip that should not last more than 10 minutes.

“We now resolved to contribute our quota to ameliorate the situation. We want to prove to people that IPOB members are benevolent because if we close our eyes, our people will continue to suffer and it behoves on us to bail our people out of this gruelling experience,” Anosike said.

He vowed that if Biafra was eventually restored, citizens would not be allowed to suffer as there would not be any failure of governance and neglect of social infrastructure.

The repairs, according to the Chairman of the Works Committee, Chief Enyinnaya Madumere was to render community service to the people who were groaning under the effect of internal bad roads in the city.

Madumere said that IPOB's Umuahia zone pioneered the community service to stimulate community development across Biafra land, as he expressed optimism that other zones would soon emulate them.

When News Express ran into the IPOB workers at the Eastern Comfort portion of the road recently, they were seen labouring to fill failed portions with many trips of gravel which they bought for the rehabilitation work. Motorists and other road users hailed the IPOB workers who hoisted their flag and displayed banners bearing the photograph of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Madumere told The Oracle Today that the group was touched by the plight of people using the bad roads. He said that materials used in repairing the roads were purchased with contributions from IPOB members.

Madumere further explained that with the bad condition of the road, it was becoming increasingly very difficult for motorists to pass through hence “we can’t wait for government since our people are using the road,” assuring that IPOB would repair all the bad spots around Umuahia.

“This road belongs to Biafra and because it is dilapidated, we have to rehabilitate it. IPOB members were touched by the bad state of the road and we resolved to embark on these repairs because when the road is smooth, our people will enjoy it but as it is now, our people are suffering by using it,” he added.

He said that the group started the repair works at the railway crossing at old Umuahia which has been smoothened, and has also repaired the City Gate portion before landing at Eastern Comfort Hotel portion, adding that IPOB was encouraged by the appreciation of its community service outreach by the people.

•IPOB members carrying out rehabilitation on the failed Eastern Comfort portion of Aba Road, Umuahia

Update news