Civil Rights Advocacy Group, Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA), has expressed consternation that the governors of the South eastern states have failed to take concrete and workable actions to curb the heightened level of killings in the region especially killing of security agents.
HURIWA in a press statement, Sunday in Abuja, also advocated the disbandment of “the notorious Ebubeagu security network in Ebonyi and Imo state and their replacement with armed vigilante set up by the people for the people and not armed gang of the governors.”
The rights group condemned the recent upsurge in execution by unidentified armed non state actors of security agents doing their lawful duties in the South-east, just as the accused the armed security forces of lacking in actionable intelligence.
“Why is President Muhammadu Buhari not concerned about the widespread suspicion that the chief sponsor of some of the deadliest attacks is staying somewhere in Eastern European nation of Finland? Can’t President Buhari take diplomatic action to protect Igbos from being systematically killed by agents living in the South East allegedly armed by someone staying in Europe?
“If President Buhari hasn’t done so what have the governors of South-east states done in the light of the allegations of involvement of the Finland-based sponsor,” the group queried.
According to the statement, “HURIWA is saddened that for virtually two years now, we have constantly proffered practicable panacea to the increasing state of insecurity and instability in the South-east but it is regrettable that the governors are not in any way committed towards the eradication of the sources and sponsors of the insecurity in the South-east.”
HURIWA further stated that: “It is clear that the South-east governors got it wrong when some of them decided to float armed vigilantes but rather than allow those statutory vigilantes to work for the collective security interests of the people of their states, especially in Ebonyi and Imo states.
“In Ebonyi state alone the Ebubeagu has been fingered in over two dozen cases of suspected assassinations but yet the state government has not prosecuted any of these killers being paid by the government from taxpayers funds.
“The South-east governors should ask their counterparts in the South-west how come they successfully floated Amotekun security network and there are hardly any case of harassment or attacks targeting the good people of those states in the South West.”
The group advocated that the South-east governors should set up people-oriented armed vigilantes to work to protect the people of their states and not act like economic saboteurs who hate their region.
