The umbrella body of Igbo Communities under the aegis of Association of South East Town Unions has condemned the recent killing of 14 Igbo youths by armed men suspected to be personnel of Ebubeagu security outfit at Otulu community in the Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State.
A statement, on Saturday, by the group’s National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, described the killing and other killings of Igbo youths across the South-East states as ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by Nigerian security agencies without recourse to the do process of the law.
Chief Diwe regretted that lives were no longer worth a penny in Nigeria, particularly in Igbo land.
He said, “The killing of 14 youths in Imo State is one killing too many. Whether the youths are returning from a wedding as reported by a section of the public or are gathered at a place on past time, no group of persons by whatever name has right to take away life without exploring all the openings required by law.”
He described the Imo State Government defence on the Awomama massacre, as stated by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Declan Emelumba, that the boys were bandits who were neutralised at their camp by officers of the Department of Security Services while planning on how to enforce the sit-at-home order the next day, as baseless and called for thorough investigation.
The ASETU President queried when it had become a death sentence for people to congregate to have a meeting if the government’s argument should be conceded.
He called on Imo State Government to rise up to its responsibility of protecting lives and property of Imo people rather than engaging in arguments after lives have been lost.
The ASETU urged Imo people and Indigbo in all the Eastern states to take security of lives and property seriously as security is everyone’s business.
