Stakeholders from different walks of life converged in Owerri, Imo State, over the weekend to brainstorm and seek end to human rights abuses, extortion and brutality by security operatives across the South-East.
The parley tagged “Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Human Rights, Extortion and Brutality: The Way Out”, focused on the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria with Imo and Abia as pilot states.
In an opening remark, the Chief Executive Officer of Youths and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), Mr. Obinna Nwagbara, said the dialogue was imperative due to reports of recurrent incidents of extortion, mindless brutality and other shades of human rights abuses in the region.
He observed that the South-East region has the highest number of police, army, FRSC, NDLEA, and NSCDC checkpoints in the country.
“Ostensibly, these checkpoints are erected for the purpose of providing security for commuters but as you and I know, the provision of security is merely incidental. It is alleged that most of the time, these checkpoints mounted by state actors are simply set up for the purpose of extortion of motorists, intimidation of road users and harassment of law abiding citizens.
“There have been countless media reports of police patrol vans illegally extorting money from fun seekers at weekends, including those who went for clubbing, hanging out at a local bar or watching a game of football at their favourite viewing centre.
“We have read multiple reports of individuals being hounded and thrown into detention facilities whence they are unable to ‘settle’ on the spot”, he stated.
A representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Imo State Command, DCC Ben Godman Nwaokafor, called for reorientation of Nigerians, with a view to encouraging them to do the right thing.
Nwaokafor said the command does not joke with disciplining or firing personnel found wanting in conduct.
According to him, if everyone in every sector does
the right thing, the society will be better off.
Security agencies, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), journalists, teachers, youth groups, student groups and the clergy were represented at the parley.
