Emene killings: We now have army of occupation in South East —Abaribe
Enyinnaya Abaribe the Senate Minority Leader, on Tuesday, condemned Nigeria security men for killing Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) members during their meeting on Sunday in Emene Enugu.
Abaribe made this known in a statement issued in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, titled ‘Abaribe condemns Igbo youths killings in Enugu’.
Abaribe said this unjust killing of Igbo Youths has given room to wide suspicion of a sinister motive.
He further warned the Federal Government that tagging every Igbo group as terrorists and killings of our youths by Nigeria security operatives has become one too many and can no longer be tolerated by Igbos and every sound mind.
Abaribe urged Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to set up a judicial panel of Inquiry for investigation and bring those involved to book.
He said the panel would help to unravel the truth in the assertions of both security and other groups on what transpired.
The Statement reads in part:
“disheartening that security operatives seem to derive pleasure at any slight whim to unleash mayhem, using the most lethal weapons against unarmed Igbo youths at every turn.”
“Such unsavory, brutal and hateful resort to extreme repression, demean Nigeria’s democratic ethos and even question her unity,”.
“We are in a democracy where every agency of government, particularly the security apparatus must adhere strictly to rules of engagement with regards to dealings with the civilian populace in such a manner that will be in conformity with international best practices”.
“The last time I checked, Nigerians still enjoy the freedom to associate freely. Nobody has told us that the Igbo youths meeting last Sunday was a gathering meant to launch an attack on anybody”.
“Who will they attack and for what? What informed the police and DSS deployment to the venue of the meeting?
“Incontrovertible reports suggest very strongly that the killings were ignited when the security operatives stormed the venue of that peaceful meeting, not that the youths marched to anywhere to attack anybody.
“These are the issues that should be addressed at the panel,”.
“It is most worrisome that the people would no longer gather peacefully in their own country without being dispersed forcefully or be branded terrorists for no just cause”.
“I would not want to believe that the wide card labeling of every Igbo youth group as terrorists is a cover to achieve a predetermined plot”.
“Let it not be that we now have an army of occupation in South East, working clandestinely to create fears and state of anomie in a region that has remained perhaps the most peaceful in the country.”
“I advised the youths to remain calm and not to resort to any form of reprisals, or succumb to provocations that could tempt them to take laws into their own hands”.
“We await the official reaction of the Enugu State governor on the matter,” the statement concluded.
Nwada Ugochinyere Onyechere reporting, Obinwannem News
