Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday, condemned the killing of members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB), who marked the anniversary of the declaration of Biafra by the late Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu, on Monday.
Ekweremadu, who moved a motion to that effect, citing Order 43 of Senate Standing Rules 2015 as amended, said the reported killings of young men and women by security operatives in parts of the South-East, all in the name of quelling disturbances, was condemnable.
The Deputy Senate President said what happened in the South-East on Monday was bloodbath, adding that it was time to end the killings.
He further noted that the country had recorded so much bloodshed in various parts of the country in past, as such security agencies must apply caution in quelling perceived disturbances in any part of country whatsoever, so as to prevent young men and women from being sent to their untimely graves.
He said: “Those of us who had the opportunity of looking at the papers this morning would know that most of the newspapers had front page stories of bloodbath in the South-East. Yesterday, I had a number of calls about the disturbing clash between youths in different parts of the South-East, South-South and security agencies, leading to the death of many people, both the young men and security personnel.
“I would like to use this opportunity under Order 43 to say that the security agencies must apply caution in trying to quell disturbances. We have had so much of bloodbath in this country under different circumstances and we cannot continue to lose our young men, because the future of this country belongs to them.
Though the motion was not debated, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who presided over the sitting, said it was necessary that actions were taken on the matter.
He said: “I think that the point he has raised must all draw attention and see what necessary action will be taken in order to address this matter.” (Tribune)
