With palpable fear over post-election violence, hundreds of Eastern Nigerians living in the northern states are returning home to the South East, particularly women and children.
The move to leave the North comes in spite of pleas by Igbo Leaders and Ohanaeze Ndiigbo for those in the North to remain steadfast and vote where they live.
Some of the returnees have said they would stay until after the elections before returning to the North, adding that they abandoned their businesses for fear of crisis and what may be post-election violence.
According to Nigerianfm, Mr. John Odinachi, a returnee to Owerri, Imo state from Kano, said: “The country may disintegrate after the elections”.
“The northerners are known for killing innocent people at the slightest provocation. I advise the Igbo in the North to return to the East and go back to their base after the elections.”
This has resulted in high increases in rents, in the returnee’s home states.
For instance, rent for a two-bedroom apartment that used to cost between N100, 000 and N200, 000 for a year now goes for between N250, 000 and N300, 000.
Returnees who could not afford rents were going to sub-urban areas, where rent has also scaled up by about 27 per cent. (Nigerianfm).
I recommend that Imo State returnees to be provided accommodation by the Imo State
Government.
Mazi
Ohanaeze Ndigbo shuold stop pushing igbo people to death for de sake of casting votes for the benefit of power hungarians, after all no Ibo man is contesting for president and other tribes will not vote for Ibo man for president untill they are all satisfied with the money from oil resources.