Some groups of activists in the South East geopolitical zone under the auspices of Int’l Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law have asked the Chief of Defence Staff, Army Staff, Inspector General of police and their subordinates to suspend the exercise Atilogu Udo (Peace Dance) I billed to take off on November 1.
In a joint open letter entitled “Exposing Service Blunders & Unanswered Questions In The Nov 1-Dec 23 2019 Military Operations In Southeast and South-south & Other Parts Of Nigeria Particularly The So Called “Operation Positive Identification,” the group said the exercise was controversial, unwarranted and unreasonable.
The open letter signed by Board Chairman of Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law, Emeka Umeagbalasi and four other members of organization, alleged that it was likely to lead to mass atrocities as observed in the past if unchecked.
”It is also widely feared that is deliberately targeted at the Southeast and the South-south and designed for mass arrest, torture, extra judicial killing, disappearance or long captivity without trial of defenseless and innocent citizens of the two regions.
“It is also express license to creation of artificial and chronic roadway logjams and entrapment on the fundamental human rights of citizens of the Southeast and the South-south to their freedoms of movement and religion (during Christmas season).
“It is also tortuous and an attribute of internal slavery and juicy grounds for extortion or roadway bribery, disappearances as well as sexual offenses including harassment and rape,” the group alleged.
