A human rights body and advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday accused the federal government of engendering “State sponsored terrorism” on South East of the country and pleaded with all to help stop the programme.
Addressing the press yesterday, Executive Director of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said, “we plead with you to inform the rest of the civilized world that the South East of Nigeria is a region that is now facing state sponsored terrorism with the direct link to Abuja’s seat of political power.
“Also this state sponsored terrorism targeting South East of Nigeria is happening because both the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of the South East of Nigeria have failed to do the needful to put effective security mechanisms to confront these terrorists for the reason that the armed Fulani kidnappers and herdsmen who are unleashing violence across all parts of South East of Nigeria are being pampered by the political powers that be in Abuja.”
According to him, the threat by President Muhammadu Buhari that he would visit the region with the treatment they faced during the Biafran war in 1967-1970 smacked of hatred for Igbo and desire to engender ruthless violence on peace loving people.
He said the threats and hate exhibited on the tweets led to the pulling down of the material which further infuriated the President, making his to ban tweeter in the country as well as stepping up attacks on innocent citizens in Igboland with police and the military who were given a shoot at sight order.
“President Buhari then escalated his Coordinated attack against the South East of Nigeria by describing the region as “only a dot in the circle of Nigerian Map” just as he pejoratively referred to Ndigbo as IPOB as if he is unaware that the ethnicity known as Igbo is not the other name for IPOB since IPOB is only a group of some Young agitators who are democratically agitating for self-determination.
“But President Buhari told Arise news TV categorically that IPOB is Igbo when he made the sarcastic comments that shows that he is either deliberately engaging in selective amnesia or willful forgetfulness. To say IPOB is Igbo is like saying Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association is Fulani.
“Buhari had during an interview with Arise TV on Thursday said that the, ‘IPOB is just like a dot in a circle. Even if they want to exit, they will have no access to anywhere.’
And the way they are spread all over the country, having businesses and property, I don’t think IPOB knows what they are talking about.
“In any case, we say we’ll talk to them in the language that they understand. We’ll organise the police and the military to pursue them.
“Gentlemen, these series of hate filled speeches against Igbo ethnicity by President Buhari was soon followed by a well-coordinated attack by suspected armed Fulani kidnappers deep inside of Igboland, coming only few weeks after over 50 Igbo citizens were massacred by armed Fulani herdsmen in a town neighboring Ebonyi and Benue State. This one of the last twenty four hours happened between Arondizuogu/Akokwa and Enugu State.
“In this latest dare devil attacks, at least, 20 travelers on their way to Enugu State were reportedly kidnapped by suspected Fulani herdsmen. It was gathered that the kidnappers were operating along the Okigwe-Onuimo axis in Okigwe LGA of Imo State.
“One of the passengers who allegedly witnessed the incident said the herdsmen, disguised as police officers, intercepted the 18 seater bus they were travelling to Enugu in and ordered three passengers into a nearby bush.
“He said the herdsmen also commandeered a sienna bus fully loaded with passengers, including the driver. He said, “Fulani herdsmen were armed and disguised as police officers at a checkpoint along Okigwe road.
“They surrendered us and took away three travelers from the 18 seater-bus and all the travelers in a sienna bus also going to Enugu.
“The worst is that there was no sign of security agents and no available means of contacting them.
“As you can see, passengers who are lucky, are still in a panic mode because nobody knows where the others were taken to,” he narrated.
“Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, proved abortive as his number was not reachable. This is all too clear because the newly posted police commissioner has an agenda to carry out which is to decimate the Eastern Security Network which was organised to go after armed Fulani herdsmen so they are incapable of stopping the state sponsored terrorism against Ndigbo,” he alleged.
Onwubiko regretted that the attacks by the herdsmen were made easier because of the lack-luster attitude of the South East governors who had not shown any seriousness in handling the matter and left their security network, Ebubeagu comatose.
“This deception was calculated to provide the enabling environment for the governor of Imo State to invite the Army and Police to go after the Eastern Security network which was set up by some patriotic Igbo youths to chase away armed Fulani herdsmen attacking Igbo land.
“However, the governors of the South East particularly the governor of Imo State who went after the ESN knew that the South East governors were never ready to set up functional security outfit to stop these incessant attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen.
“They pretended to have set up Ebubeagu but they lied. This has manifested in the open because the Chairman, South-East Security Committee, Major General Obi Umahi (retd.), has resigned his appointment,” he said.
