Igbo Leaders Demand Lifting of Economic Blockade on Eastern Ports

A coalition of Igbo leaders and socio-cultural organisations has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end what they termed a decades-long “economic blockade” against the South-East, citing the closure of strategic coastal ports since the Nigerian civil war.

In a communiqué issued on Thursday after a two-day summit in Asaba, Delta State, the Igbo Unification Movement and the ‘Ndi Na Asu Bia’ Socio-Cultural Organisation lamented the continued closure of the Port Harcourt, Bonny, and Opobo ports—once thriving trade gateways for Eastern Nigeria.

“The President must lift the unfair economic blockade imposed on the Igbo almost 60 years ago. We urge him to dredge, modernise, and fully reopen these ports to trigger new development in the East, with benefits extending to the Middle Belt and even Lake Chad,” the statement read.

The communiqué, signed by Chief Kingsley Onyenwemmadu Kainebi (President), Ofochi Benjamin Atagana Esq (Secretary/Legal Adviser), and Chief Cosmas Chikeobi Agada (Chairman, Local Organising Committee), stressed the need for unity among Igbo-speaking communities across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

The leaders also called for equitable distribution of federal projects and infrastructure, noting that the region continues to lag behind despite its strong contributions to national development.

While youth representatives acknowledged “gradual improvements” in national security under Tinubu’s administration, they insisted that “much more needs to be done.”

The gathering further threw its weight behind the campaign for the creation of Anioma State from Igbo-speaking parts of Delta State, describing it as a matter of “equity and historical justice.”

“Creating Anioma State is not just a political demand; it is about fairness and recognition for the Igbo-speaking people,” the communiqué added.