Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The African Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR) yesterday asked the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to identify officers from the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) who allegedly joined masked gunmen to attack the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party for Ideato North South Federal constituency, Ikenga Ugochinyere in the forthcoming elections.
In a statement by its strategic communication consultant, Abubakar Isa, ACJHR wondered why the operatives of the Nigerian Police allegedly in collaboration with the state backed private militia invaded Ikenga’s home.
The attack, according to the rights group, is another violation of the right to life and free speech of Ugochinyere, who is also the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties.
The statement read in part, “We call on the Inspector General of Police, to prevail on Governor Hope Uzodinma and the security chiefs in Imo to rein in these gunmen creating tension in the state and fear in Ideato in particular.
“We also appeal to them to create the appropriate environment for a free and fair poll, retrace their steps and point their gun nozzles at the criminals ravaging the state and not at Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere – a law abiding citizen who is always in the public space, and not hidden from security or public glare.”
On January 14 in Akokwa, Imo State, motorcades conveying the gunmen invaded Ugochinyere’s house, burnt his house, cars and killed his uncle and three others.
While the police were allegedly silent on the matter, again, masked gunmen had invaded Ugochinyere’s house with explosives.
