While reminding those in positions of authority that their failure to provide enough security to safeguard lives and property of Nigerians is an impeachable offence, the group asserted that the deliberate inability of government to effect section 14 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution has clearly stated as follows: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State base on the principles of democracy and social justice” smacks off promotion of impunity.
National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, who disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja, listed some recent issues of concern to human rights in Nigeria to include: the undue detention of Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, Shi’ites threat to revolt and the growing number of youth fleeing South-east and North-east over killings. He therefore called on Buhari to declare a State of Emergency on human rights.
According to him, “We note that President Buhari has only recently directed the relevant security agencies to investigate just one out of many cases of unprovoked attacks and mass killings of Nigerians by armed Fulani herdsmen. What the Nigerian government should do is to dismiss both the IGP and DG of DSS for not nipping in the bud these rampant killings. NIS and Customs must be reorganized and our borders fenced and secured to stop inflow of arms.”
HURIWA further said: “We have written to the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice on the urgency of ensuring that the unconstitutional prolonged pre-trial detention of this serving military officer is remedied. We have written to the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai and demanded that the undue detention of Colonel Ashinze be redressed. We are yet to receive the responses of these key office holders.”
“We appeal to members of the Islamic Movement to respect Constituted authority and to await the determination by panels set up by the NHRC and the Kaduna State government on the petitions concerning the recent bloody encounter between the military and member of the Shiites.
“We also wish to commend the top hierarchy of the Nigerian Army for setting up a human rights desk but we appeal to the Chief of Army Staff to upgrade this Human Rights desk to a directorate to be headed by a serving General because of the serious nature of the concept of human rights and constitutional democracy. There are overwhelming numbers of allegations of human rights violations involving the military against civilians so a mere desk headed by a captain is not good enough even though we applaud the Chief of Army Staff for recording this feat.
“The alleged killings of IPOB members and the continuous harassment of peaceful protesters must stop. The attacks on Ogoni land resulting in fatalities must be investigated and those who carried out unlawful killings of civilians must face the full wrath of the law. We believe that the Chief of Army Staff would provide the requisite leadership to redress all these violations. The NHRC must wake up and work.”
“We wish to bring to your attention about a frightening g statistics that we derive from field studies by our observers in North East on the growing list of youth fleeing to Western nations and some relatively peaceful Far East and Far East Asia for refuge because of real fear for their lives from a combination of forces majorly the terrorists and some evil forces within the Nigeria Armed Forces.
“We note that although the Army hierarchy together with the other segments of the Nigeria Armed Forces have adopted measures to check the excesses of some military operatives who take delight in carrying out extra judicial killings of Innocent Citizens but the mindless killings of IPOB (Indigenous People Of Biafra ) members and the wave of terror attacks in the north east has driven at least 25, 000 youth of Igbo origin and at least 50,000 minority tribes people originally from north east into involuntary exiles in Europe. We appeal to foreign governments to grant asylums to these Nigerians under attack until such a time that the Nigerian state will start prosecuting mass murderers.
“The Nigerian government has so far failed to rein in these mass killers and even killers in the security forces are yet to be punished for the unwarranted wave of attacks of unarmed civilian protesters in the south east genuinely campaigning for self determination. We appeal to the Nigerian Government to restore constitutional governance in all parts of Nigeria so all citizens will freely coexist as equal citizens.
“The way Nigeria is now with armed hoodlums rowing freely and unleashing violence and some elements within the Armed Forces killing innocent citizens the wave of irregular migration of Nigerians will continue because life is sacred and every human being will do everything within his/her power to preserve this precious divine gift of life. A stitch in time saves nine,” the group warned.
Daily Post.
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