A coalition of Igbo leaders and socio-cultural groups has called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lift what they described as a decades‑long “economic blockade” against the South-East, highlighting the prolonged shutdown of key coastal ports; Port Harcourt, Bonny and Opobo, ever since the civil war.
In a strongly worded communique issued at the conclusion of a two-day meeting in Asaba, Delta State, the Igbo Unification Movement and ‘Ndi Na Asu Bia’ Socio-Cultural Organisation declared:
“The President must lift the unfair economic blockade imposed on the Igbo almost 60 years ago. We urge him to dredge, modernise, and functionally reopen those coastal ports to re‑trigger a pole of development in the East, with spillover effects to the Middle Belt and even Lake Chad.”
The communique was signed by Chief Kingsley Onyenwemmadu Kainebi (President), Ofochi Benjamin Atagana Esq (Secretary/Legal Adviser) and Chief Cosmas Chikeobi Agada (Chairman, Local Organising Committee).
It emphasized unity among all Igbo-speaking groups across Nigeria.
They also urged the federal government to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure and federal projects to Igbo-dominated areas, which they say continue to lag despite their vital contributions to national progress.
Young Igbo leaders expressed cautious optimism, thanking President Tinubu for “gradual improvements” in national security, though acknowledging that “a lot still needs to be done.”
The gathering also fully supported the push for the creation of Anioma State, carving it out of Delta State’s Igbo-speaking areas.
The communique framed the demand as:
“Creating Anioma State is not just a political demand; it is a question of equity and historical justice for the Igbo-speaking people.”
Igbo leaders insist that the reopening of Eastern ports is more than symbolic, it’s a critical step toward reversing regional marginalisation and rebalancing Nigeria’s economy.
