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The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, otherwise known as Intersociety, has demanded to know the true rational behind the killing of 3 innocent youths at Ezioha-Mgbowo in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Intersociety voiced out their fraustration in a statement signed by its officers, Emeka Umeagbalasi (Board Chair), Chinwe Umeche Esquire (Head, Democracy and Good Governance), and Obianuju Joy Igboeli Esquire (Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law). This was made available to journalists in Enugu, Tuesday.
Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Daniel Ndukwe, had on Monday released a statement claiming that three IPOB/ESN enforcers were neutralized by joint army and police team during a gun duel at Ezioha Mgbowo in Awgu LGA, Enugu State around 2 am on Monday.
But in a statement to put things straight, Intersociety described as “False Gallantry” the “Unlawful Killing” of the three youths labelled as “Sit-At-Home Enforcers” and the silence and lukewarm attitude exhibited by the agencies over the wanton kidnap of more than 30 travelers by killer herdsmen within two days in Enugu
The group called on the authorities to either stop the killing of helpless youths and go after the killer fulani herdsmen terrorist, who are making life unbearable for the people of Enugu State, “or retire from the Army and the Police”.
“From our fact-checks, including contacts made to reliable sources in Mgbowo in Awgu, the circumstances leading to the killing if these armless youths did not follow any known legal rules or valid operational procedure of the security agencies.
“Intersociety is therefore condemned in the strongest terms, unreasonable and wicked acts, calling on the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Military and the Jihadist herdsmen and other security agencies to be mindful of their activities and respect the sanctify of human lives.
“They must also leave the defenseless citizens of the South-East and their properties alone.”
The group asked the joint security operatives a very pertinent question, over the alleged killing of “Three Sit-at-Home Enforcers”.
“What are the true identities of those killed? Where and when were they killed and over what offense?
Were they armed and on rampage when terminally shot and killed? What types of weapons were they caught rampaging with when shot and killed?
“Which law in Nigeria or Enugu State authorizes Police or Army to kill (instead of arrest) those enforcing or about to enforce Sit-at-Home at the wee hours of 2.am if true
“What proportionality of force was used leading to their killing? Is it true that the slain were arrested alive by a security patrol team in a residential location in the named area and extra-judicially killed in custody and false-labeled?
“Were the publicly displayed ‘un-prohibited firearms’ (Pump-Action Guns and Machetes) truly recovered from the slain? Were the slain truly armed ESN members?,” the group queried.
On the menace of killer herdsmen, Intersociety revealed that no less than 22 communities and villages have been under the siege of the “Jihadist Herdsmen” and other assembled jihadists since 2022 in South East.
“Their jihadist activities are also fueled and escalated by partisanship and complicity of the deployed security forces, including the Military and the Nigeria Police Force,” the organization said.
SOURCE: Eye on Southeast
IMAGE: Good governance initiative.
