HURIWA Affirmed that the Nigerian Army was Behind the killing of civilians in Orlu

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, has affirmed that the Nigerian army led by a difficult-name commaader was behind the  massacre of over 30 lives ad the burning of  17 young Igbos of 13 to 16 years in Orlu, Imo State. 

The group slammed the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), over his inability to rid Nigeria of terrorists, noting that seeking God’s intervention is a lame excuse for his failure to secure life and property of Nigerians. 

HURIWA, also, condemned the recent military and police operations in Orlu Town of Imo State, in which many innocent passers-by and house owners were killed and their housing assets set ablaze under the guise of going after members of the so-called unknown gunmen in the state.

“Extrajudicial killings of innocent Nigerians and the setting of their property on fire without following due process, according to the laws of Nigeria, is a crime against humanity, and those who are committing these egregious crimes won’t go without any form of legal retribution and persecution, whether locally or before the International Criminal Court.

HURIWA condemned the silence of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria to the state’s sponsored terror, carried out by armed security services in Imo State, just as the rights group has challenged the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, to allow credible civil rights advocacy groups to observe the conduct of his soldiers in the South East to ensure compliance to the rules of engagement, and for the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to let the civil liberty societies to assess the detention facilities in Imo State, because of credible evidence of deployment of extra-judicial execution of suspects as its operational modality in the South East of Nigeria. 

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also noted that it was fraudulent for the defence minister to continue earning salary on taxpayers’ funds and enjoying all perks of office while he claims to look on to God for solution. The rights group said it doesn’t make logical sense that the cabinet minister in charge of national security in the country, will simply not think of quality strategies to checkmate the rising trends of insecurity, but will be read and seen in the media as saying that only God can save Nigeria from terrorists. 

MEANWHILE, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has condemned the on-going senseless attacks and killings going on in Imo State by the Nigerian military and Ebubeagu security outfit, formed and financed by the Imo State politicians and their collaborators.

In a statement, yesterday, made available in Awka, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, warned that IPOB cannot afford to allow them continue with these atrocities against the people.

The group, therefore, appealed to the International Community, Amnesty International and others human rights groups for help. It said, “We are calling on the international community, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch Organisation, Intersociety groups and other reputable human rights organisations across the globe, to take note and prevail on Nigerian government and its security agencies to leave Biafra territory.”

“The world should come and rescue Biafrans because they are facing difficulties in the hands of Nigerian government at this time. We need help from International Community to rescue us by separating us from Nigeria,” the stamen says.

IN another development, gunmen, yesterday, attacked a police station in Anaku, Ayamelum Local Council of Anambra State. They were, however, repelled by police officers on duty, causing the gunmen to flee.

The State Police command’s Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, who confirmed the incident said the gunmen, after being successfully repelled, threw a locally made explosive into the compound, but no casualties were recorded. He said that the police in Anambra are more determined now, than ever, to protect all their facilities from attacks, and also face the attackers.

He said: “The Anambra police operatives are more firm and courageous, following the successful repelling of an attack in the early hours of the day at Anaku divisional headquarters.

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