Anarchy looms in Southeast — CLO cries out

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) says it is appalled over recent developments in the South East and the danger it portends for the people.

It pointed out as particularly alarming the military invasion and occupation of Orlu and some parts of the Southeast under the guise of wiping out the Eastern Security Network, a vigilante arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), describing it as a time bomb tickling to explode with serious consequences and negative implications.

According to a statement by the CLO Southeast zonal chairman, Comrade Aloysius Attah, “the militarization of Igbo land when no part of the zone is at war either with itself or their neighbours has long term consequences which if not nipped in the bud now will most likely swallow many with its attendant casualties.”

He said the owning up of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State of his approval for such unwarranted military operation is a clear sign of a leader who doesn’t feel the pulse of his people to know their feelings and needs, adding that “it also smacks of a foisted leader who came to deal with his people instead of leading them and attending to their welfare.”

The statement read in part: “Since this unfortunate military operation, several casualties have been recorded while the people whose places have been invaded with military hardware, weapons and men have been traumatized on daily basis.

“The silence of the governors of the states in the Southeast geopolitical zone is not only condemnable but goes a long way to prove the disconnect between them and the people who actually holds the sovereignty of the offices they occupy and the input legitimacy from which their government derives acceptability and powers to govern.

“We are incensed over the recent parade of a so-called 20 (16 male and four females) suspects said to be members of IPOB arrested by troops under 82 division Nigerian Army, Enugu.

“The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations,  Col Aliyu Yusuf,  who fell short of  labeling the paraded persons  as ‘terrorists’ said: ‘The activities of the threat elements have led to an increase in organized crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and other sundry criminal violent acts. Recently, there have been various attacks on civilians, Police and military personnel on check points and escort duty.’

“Anyone who saw the images of the paraded suspects doesn’t need any forensic expert to decipher that some innocent people have been arrested and labeled threat elements just to prove that the army is working.

“It is such kind of summary labeling that breeds monsters in normal human beings.

“Without holding brief for the IPOB, its leadership and their mode of operations, we dare say that it is the Nigerian military and security agents that have toughened some of the pro-Biafra agitators from their non-violent stance to armed protection.

“The Nigerian situation under President Muhammed Buhari has elevated sectionalism, partiality and selective justice into a state-art.

“A government that negotiates with bandits, treats killer-herders as untouchables but brands Igbo self determination group as terrorists and proscribed, can only breed violence and accompanied state-sponsored repression.

“Crying for vengeance and justice are the blood of the innocent, defenceless, non-armed pro-Biafra agitators killed in the last six years of the Buhari presidency across the five states of the southeast and the recent blood spill, serial rape, abduction and forced disappearances of Obigbo residents in Rivers State.

“Many communities in the southeast are at the mercy of Fulani herders who pillage their farms, rape their women, kill their men and strangulate any uncooperative female but the governors in order not to incur the wrath of President Buhari, maintains a conspiracy of silence.

“They do all within their power to suppress any information of attacks of this nature while they pamper the herders and even pay for any loss on their cattle. They cannot also stamp their feet to implement their verbal ban on open grazing while their citizens live like conquered people in their own communities.”

The civil rights group demands that no to further military occupation in Orlu and other parts of the Southeast should be tolerated; no more killings and terrifying the people with military jets and armaments.

CLO noted that the constitutional roles of the military as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria sections 217-220 has not changed, adding, enough of all these breaches.

“We call for the unconditional release of the paraded suspects arrested by the military while government should commence immediate confidence building approaches and rehabilitation of the traumatized people of the affected areas.

“We also condemn the recent resort to organized crime, burning of police stations, killing of police personnel and carting away police rifles and armoury in some parts of Southeast. This trend if left unchecked portends grave danger to the society and the citizenry.

“Many of our youths are taking the wrong way and serious concerted efforts must be made to recover, rehabilitate and engage them into meaningful causes.

“Our Governors and political leaders must rise up to their responsibilities knowing again for the umpteenth time that power belongs to the people. The same people have endured for so long and may be forced to revolt someday when the pushing comes to shoving,” CLO lamented.