By Tony Adibe
The President of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), Olu Omotayo Esq. described Imo State as the most dangerous state to live in within the entire southeast zone of Nigeria, considering happenings in the state in recent times, stressing that these incidents are not only worrisome but dangerous in a democracy.
“These situations, events and activities in Imo State portend danger to Human Rights and Democracy in Nigeria,” emphasised CRAAN, while urging President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police, and the Chairman Police Service Commission to urgently take pro active steps to stop the continued rights violations by the Police in Southeast Nigeria.
In a statement entitled, “Increase In Rights Violations In Southeast Nigeria: Imo State Continues To Be The Most Dangerous State To Live In Southeast Nigeria,” issued in Enugu on Friday, Omotayo said that there have been flagrant violations of human rights of the citizens by the police and non state actors.
“The rights violations in Southeast Nigeria are alarming, portraying a region under siege,” the human rights crusader, who was reacting to the assault and brutality purportedly given to the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero in Owerri, capital of Imo State.
But the police in Imo State denied having anything to do with the fate of the NLC President, claiming that he was to be purportedly lynched by the mob in Owerri, however, the police intervened to rescue him. The police also claimed that Ajaero was later released.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma under whose administration insecurity hightened in Imo State
An Aide to Governor Hope Uzodimma, who didn’t want to be quoted because he claimed he was not authorized to speak to the press, said “as far as we in government are concerned, the state government does know anything about what happened to Ajaero.”
However, Omotayo also said: “The recent attack at the Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat Owerri,and on Comrade Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), by the men of the Nigerian Police Force Imo State Command at the instigation of the State government clearly showed how an institution that is supposed to protect citizens suddenly turned to a monster against the masses.” He said that if the activities in Imo State are not properly handled and curtailed, it will definitely have a negative effect on the other southeast states.
The CRAAN statement read: “The situation becomes hopeless because the institutions and authorities regulating and overseeing activities of Police now shirk away from their responsibilities and pretend as if the discriminative attacks on the human rights of citizens of this zone is normal.
“In the month of September 2023, two lawyers namely Chinaka Chigozie Esq. and Desmond Kakaan Esq., were attacked within a week at Police stations in southeast Nigeria. Chinaka Chigozie Esq. had gone to the Area Command Owerri, to seek the release of his client but he suffered grievous attack and torture in the hands of the police at the instigation of the Area Commander Owerri, Fire Service Police Station, Imo State. He was also detained from the 25th to the 26th of September 2023.
“Desmond Kakaan Esq. was on 28th September 2023, attacked by ASP Okilo and PC Ifeanyi, the two policemen from Police Zonal Headquarter Zone 13, Anambra State who were among the 6 policemen who extorted the sum of N500, 000 Naira, as bail money from Cletus Nwebor. He was attacked by the two policemen for receiving phone call while in Police premises.
“The six policemen who extorted N500,000 from Cletus Nwebor, were only directed to return the money back on the orders of AIG Zone 13, and they are walking freely now and even threatening to send Nwebor to jail on a trumped-up charge. The directive of the Attorney General of Enugu State who directed the office of the AIG Zone 13, to forward the case file to his office was rebuffed by the AIG till date in order to protect the affected policemen.
“Despite several petitions written to the Chairman Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police, no disciplinary action was taken against the affected police officers.” Omotayo further said that the rising wave of human rights abuses by the police in the Southeast since the advent of President Tinubu administration “is worrisome and condemnable”
He said that the government cannot under the guise of combating crimes and maintaining law and order continue to justify the continuous increase in rights violations in the zone, “which is not only barbaric but also illegal and unconstitutional.”
Commenting specifically on the Ajaero saga, the CRAAN President said: “It is absurd to resort to the rule of the Jungle instead of respecting the Rule of Law.
We frown on the barbaric attack on Comrade Joe Ajaero and the continued increase in rights violations in Southeast Nigeria particularly Imo State.
“We condemn in an unequivocal term the actions and activities of the Imo state government in instigating and condoning attacks on the labour leaders and innocent citizens of the state particularly members of the opposition parties.”
