A group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has stated that some governors and the Nigerian Government’s officials may be behind the killings and security challenges ravaging the South-East region.
HURIWA alleged that political and public office holders responsible for the killings were making efforts to undermine the agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East.
The rights group made these statements while urging the Nigerian Army to respect human rights in the South-East region.
HURIWA asked the Nigerian Army to probe the killings in the South-East because some officials of the Nigerian Government might be responsible for insecurity in the Southeast.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said the Nigerian Army must work with the mindset that members of IPOB might not be responsible for the killings in the region.
HURIWA said, “Following report that the Nigerian Army has launched multiple military exercises covering the South-East region of Nigeria aimed at checking the excessive cases of attacks targeting strategic national security institutions, personnel and the killing of civilians by unknown gunmen, the military high command should abide by rules of engagement, respect for Human Rights of civilians and adherence to the principles of the rule of law.
“The Nigerian Army should not work under a bandwagon conspiratorial plots that the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra carry out the attacks and killings but the army must be open-minded, look inwards and investigate the possibility that these attacks may have been masterminded by federal government officials and some governors of the South-East of Nigeria who may want to undermine the public acceptance and popularity of the agitation for self-determination as canvassed by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
“In the past few months, many Igbo youths have been killed, arrested, incarcerated and tortured by the security forces under the guise that all Igbo youths are members of IPOB.”
The group, however, revealed that all its members and its militia wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) should be protected.
“Members of IPOB or ESN are entitled to the full protection of the law and therefore must never be killed extra-legally by the armed forces of Nigeria which is an institution created by the ground norm,” he said.
