Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has called out the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the security outfits of exhibiting overwhelming tendencies of ethnic profiling targeting the people of the South East snd Igbo-speaking Nigerians.
The rights advocacy group made the claim following the arrest of Nollywood actor, Mr Chiwetalu Agu by soldiers over his choice of clothes with the flag of the defunct Biafran Republic.
HURIWA expressed its anger in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and made available to Daily Post on Saturday.
HURIWA said the military and the DSS have clearly shown their inclinations towards ethnic profiling because on more than one occasion the Kaduna based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi was seen holding meetings with bandits and kidnappers.
HURIWA noted that despite the obvious evidence that Gumi made many television and newspaper appearances and granted extensive interviews including the one that he accused the military of helping to weaponise terrorists in the North-West, there was never any attempt on the part of the DSS or Army to invite him or arrest him for the treasonous acts of fraternizing and colluding with terrorists.
lHURIWA further affirmed that: “Also the Zaria based Islamic Cleric Salihu Zaria threatened to kill Christians over the Jos killing of Fulani travellers by Unknown gunmen but the DSS and the Army looked the other way and never made attempt to arrest these two Moslem preachers.”
The rights group noted that “Chiwetalu Agu wore just a clothe with the flag which is not unlawful but the Army tortured him and thereafter handed him over to the DSS and the DSS is now saying that justice would be done and we ask, which justice?
“This is pure ethnic profiling and vendetta which is unconstitutional. We demand the immediate release of Mr Chinwetalu Agu by the DSS or they charge him to court so the World will see how low the country Nigeria has degenerated in the practice of apartheid policies by the current administration that releases and reintegrate boko haram Islamic terrorists”.
