A coalition of 44 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and intellectuals have called on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba and the authorities of the Nigerian Army and other branches of the Armed Forces to desist from their apparent plot to turn the South-East into a killing field under the guise of fighting insecurity.
The coalition which also criticized the IGP for his recent comments capable of instigating and promoting extrajudicial killings by security operatives in the South-East, maintained that it will not allow the Acting IGP and the country’s Armed Forces to turn Eastern Nigeria into a killing field.
A statement by the coalition read in part: “The Coalition hereby designates the Acting Inspector General of Police as ‘Genocide Enabler’. He has also been blacklisted in the Human Rights Community and we shall take further steps to forward his name to relevant international human rights, diplomatic and intergovernmental quarters for their records and needful actions.”
The coalition which includes the Igbo Board of Deputies (Worldwide), Int’l Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, World Igbo Congress (USA), Ala-Igbo Dev Foundation (ADF), Concerned Elites for Better Society Initiative, Ekwenche Research Institute (USA), Biafra Genocide Survivors Group (USA), Int’l Society for War Against Lawlessness (USA), Congress of Igbo Leaders UK & Ireland and Chancellor, Igbo Bu Igbo (IBI) among others, also condemned in strong terms, recent attacks on security personnel and destruction of key government facilities in Nigeria, noted however that vengeful policing, the crude resort to violent self-help and government’s reprisal are all condemnable.
The Coalition however reminded governors of the old Eastern region particularly Governos of Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu and Anambra States that they are primarily responsible for the security of lives and properties in their various States including accountability to the residents of their States over the conduct and actions of the drafted security forces.
They also reminded the governors not to forget that the Coalition, its international partners and the international community will hold them accountable alongside the Acting Inspector General of Police and all police and military commanders posted to the two region and those in charge of their High Commands.
“They must account for all human rights abuses including crimes against humanity or ‘war crimes’ and other internationally prohibited acts perpetrated by Nigerian government security forces under their watch. The Governors must rise to the occasion by ensuring that security, safety and rights of the citizens under their care and watch, especially the defenceless, unarmed and law abiding are protected all the time without excuses”, the statement read.
