South-east Journalists Allege Indiscriminate Killing of Innocent Citizens by Security Operatives

* Seek Buhari’s intervention

Ejiofor Alike

IZUNWANNE, an association of senior journalists from the South-east geopolitical zone, has raised the alarm over the indiscriminate shooting of innocent citizens by security agents deployed to the zone to restore peace.

It called on President Muhammadu Buhari to review his shoot-on-sight order, which, according to the group, gave security agents the licence to kill vulnerable and helpless innocent civilians in the South-east and South-south geo-political zones.

The association condemned in strong terms, the wanton violence that has engulfed the two geo-political zones of the country, and called for the return of peace in the area.

In a press statement jointly signed by the chairman and secretary of the association, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu and Mr. Ngwuoke Ngwuoke, the senior journalists urged Buhari to review his “shoot-on-sight” order and stop “security operatives from taking advantage of the order to engage in indiscriminate shootings and mowing down of the lives of many vulnerable, helpless and innocent people.”

The association argued that “such approach can never bring peace but would rather compound issues, lead to intimidation, suppression and coercion”, believing that “There are better other possible and legal ways available to government to responsibly bring about peace and tranquility in the zones than the present path which the security forces are taking”.

IZUNWANNE also condemned in very strong terms the attack on government agencies and assets, as well as the killing of security personnel by gunmen in the zones.

“Our association also roundly condemns the attendant indiscriminate killing of innocent persons in the guise of going after the arsonists and destroyers of public facilities in the area”, the statement further contained.

The senior journalists also described as unacceptable, “The situation in Owerri where security agents indiscriminately go after mass arrests of youths in churches and their families” and demanded an immediate stop to it.

“We support a UNITED Nigeria, where equity, justice and fair play are the principles that should govern the co-existence of all peoples of the country”, the statement emphasised.

It is their position that “No organisation linked with violence should be linked with Ndi Igbo as a people” because Ndi Igbo are not in support of any group of persons who have taken to violence under whatever name or guise.

IZUNWANNE explained that “The Igbo are peace-loving, enterprising people who live everywhere in Nigeria and have investments there and will never as a people support or resort to using violence as a means of settling issues with anyone. Wherever they are found outside their homelands they always live in peace with their hosts.”

“As a people, Ndigbo do not support the killing of security forces and burning of public and private properties by unknown gunmen on one hand and the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians by enraged security personnel on the other hand hand, in the Southeast geo-political zone,” the journalists added.