Group Condemns Killings, Militarisation in South-east

Peter Uzoho

An Igbo group, Dozie-Mezie Owerri, has condemned the ongoing militarisation and wanton killing of innocent people of the South-east region, particular in Owerri, Imo State, by security forces led by the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Army.

Worried by the escalating security situation in the South-east, particularly Imo State, with Owerri as the epicentre of orgy of violence, the group said it was especially appalled by numerous accounts of loss of lives, regrettably of innocent people, who had become targets of attacks by overzealous security operatives and the so-called unknown gunmen.

Dozie-Mezie Owerri, in a statement yesterday signed by its Council Chairman, Reginald Akujobi-Roberts and the Council Secretary, Buchi Njere, condemned a statement credited to the Inspector General of Police where he allegedly ordered his men to kill their people without reason.

The statement reads: “While we encourage the police, the body responsible for quelling social disturbances, to do their work professionally and hunt down those killing security personnel and burning down state institutions, we call for caution in the discharge of this sensitive duty.

“No innocent man or woman should pay the price for the crime of another. Care must be taken to fish out the perpetrators of these heinous crimes without compromising the safety and fundamental rights of innocent citizens.

“It is therefore on this note that we condemn the statement credited to the Inspector General of Police who seemed to have given his men an open cheque to kill without reason. Life is sacred, and human rights remain non-negotiable.

“Militarisation of Imo state and indeed the whole of the South-east is not the solution to the increasing tension in the region. We believe in dialogue.”

The group however held both the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and President Muhammadu Buhari, solely responsible for the security of their people, especially in their immediate communities in and around Owerri.

The group said it expected the federal government to adopt dialogue in addressing the security situation in the region in order to identify ways to accommodate the grievances of all groups and individuals for peace and normal economic and social life to return to the region.

Dozie-Mezie Owerri, added that, as a major stakeholder in the region, it would continue to play its part to sensitize their people, especially the youths, on the need to eschew violence and refuse to be objects of insidious indoctrination.