Biafra agitation unnecessary, Umahi insists

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed renewed calls for a separate Biafran state, arguing that the South-East is now firmly integrated into Nigeria’s national development under President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during an inspection of federal projects across the region, Umahi said long-standing complaints of marginalisation had eased due to heavy investment in roads and infrastructure.

According to him, separatist agitations were driven by neglect in the past, but the situation has changed. “There is no justification for Biafra again,” he said, adding that the South-East now enjoys a sense of inclusion under the current administration.

Umahi praised President Tinubu for reviving projects that had stalled for years, listing major roadworks across Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Anambra states. He noted that several highways and bridges are either completed or nearing completion, with some valued at hundreds of billions of naira.

The minister said the government is focusing on long-lasting concrete roads designed to endure for decades, describing the ongoing projects as transformative for the region.

He urged political leaders in the South-East to pursue relevance through strategic engagement rather than confrontational rhetoric, describing recent political realignments in the region as calculated moves to secure long-term benefits.

Umahi concluded that the present moment represents a turning point for the South-East’s place in national affairs.