Don’t sanction policeman who accused soldiers of connivance with kidnappers — HURIWA

*Seeks independent probe of claims that Army harbour Fulani inside military facilities

A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Monday, slammed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, over moves to punish a Chief Superintendent of Police who accused the Nigerian Army of conniving with Fulani herders to kidnap residents of Isuochi community of Uunneochi Local Government Area in Abia State.

The rights group also called on the National Assembly and the federal government to set up independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations that some civilians of Fulani ethnic stock were housed and issued resident permits by the Nigeria Army to reside inside military facilities, especially in the South East and South West geo-political zones.

HURIWA accused the military hierarchy of maintaining undignified silence over the report that some persons were seen with identity cards issued to them as resident permits, as only persons of Fulani heritage were said to possess this identification.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, hailed the Police Senior officer for telling the whole world the truth about what is happening in the South-East and the connivance of security agents in the heinous crimes perpetrated by Fulani herders in the five South-East states.

The officer, who identified himself as CSP Johnbull, had stood before the people of the community and publicly accused soldiers of not assisting the community to arrest the kidnappers.

But Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement last Wednesday, said the utterances of the officer do not represent the principles and ideals of the Force and as such, “the erring officer will face the disciplinary procedures of the force for his unguarded indiscretions.”

Reacting, HURIWA rejected the planned sanction for the officer, saying it was unwarranted.

The statement reads in part: “HURIWA condemns the attempt by the IGP to shut up the policeman for exposing those elements causing anarchy and terror in the South-East.

“Recall that the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Kanu Uche, who paid N100 million ransom after being kidnapped last month in Abia, said upon his release, that “the eight-man gang was made up of ‘Fulani boys’ who claimed to be against the government.”

“The cleric also said he observed that military men were around the place where the hoodlums operated, while their cows were also around the vicinity.

“This is a gross indictment on the Nigerian Army and this should be thoroughly investigated and not swept under the carpet.”

HURIWA further called for the probe of the discovery of secret identification cards allegedly issued to civilians of Fulani ethnic stock by the Nigerian Army in the South-East tagged, ‘Fulani Residential Permit’.

HURIWA also called the attention of all Nigerians to the alert issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra that the Nigeria security agents, especially Nigeria Army, has allegedly changed tactics in their desperation to indict IPOB by resorting to planting bombs in Biafraland.

“The Army must improve its poor state of forensic investigation and stop pointing accusing fingers at IPOB when there is no availability of any sort of investigation when crimes occur in the South East. Security agencies must stop concluding without any shreds of verifiable evidence about the group responsible. Security services must stop having their minds made up that it is IPOB.

“Truth of the matter is that: terrorists have surrounded us, from North to South; they have secured safe havens for themselves in our forests and launch attacks at will. The recent massacre in Owo suffices.

“The operations of insurgents and Fulani killer herders are clearly backed by folks in government, security agents and the financial sector. Nigerians are not fools.”