A socio-cultural Igbo formation, Nzuko Umunna, penned a letter to the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, following a directive given to the Nigerian army to “shoot on sight,” which it said was a “plot to kill innocent citizens”.

The letter was ; made available to Sahara Reporters, by Barr. Austin Okeke on Tuesday.

The letter, signed by Dr N. Odumuko, and Dr P. Mbanefo, was written by Nzuko Umunna, in response to a warning issued by an rmy personnel, few days ago, that the troops had been ordered to shoot on sight, civilians in Orlu, Imo State as the military fights the operatives of the Eastern Security Network.

The letter partly reads:
“We feel duty bound to inform you that there is palpable fear over a ‘shoot on sight’ directive reportedly given to army troops in the Southeast, in recent days; a scheme for which were moved over the weekend.

“By some accounts, this directives seems to have been given unofficial in a hush- hush manner, making the situation all the more ominous.

“A shoot on sight directive is tantamount to an order to extra-judicially exterminate innocent citizens as there is no telling who might be part of the collateral unintended casaulities.

“Throughout history, such millitary strategies, or policies have always ruin the risk of going contrary to all accepted conventions and protocols on the rules of engagement, particularly the Rome statutes.

“Infact, it can be read as genocide, where as in this case, there is a clear and evident danger of such act in resulting in high casaulities.

“If the speculation of a shoot on sight order were to bear any atom of truth, then it amounts to a declaration of war on the area. However, even if for any reason, the federal government is minded to declare war on the South-East, or a part of it, there are standard international conventions and protocols that must be observed.

“One of such is the requirement to publicly and unambiguously declare that a war situation has arisen in such a place, so that who wish to especially the civilians, and innocent citizens, can withdraw from such a place, that has not been done.”

Consequently, the group further urged Attahiru to put the public in the know about the shoot on sight order and reverse it, if any case it was issued; to restore peace in the region.

“But (it) is our well considered contention that there do not exist, in the South East of Nigeria, any peculiar situation which does not exist in even worse forms in other parts of the country to warrant or justify such a shoot on sight order. And we put whoever thinks to the contrary to the strictest of proof.

“Based on these, our position is that it is in the overall interest of the country that you use your good office to not only clear the air on this very disturbing issue, but also counter any such directive in case it has , by some fluke or stroke of overzealousness been issued.

“We most respectfully urge you to use your good office to intervene as a matter of urgency. In this very critical matter to douse the tension and apprehension in the region from rumours and the expectation that the killings and unnecessary waste of human lives will escalates.

“We are by this letter bringing this properly to your notice, with the hope you will take preemptory action.”

Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News