The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has urged Governor Charles Soludo to rescue citizens from brutality, intimidations, extortions, exploitation and uncivil dispositions of Anambra Road Transport Management Agency (ARTMA), OCHA Brigade, Anambra State Anti-Touting Agency and Emblem Boys.
The CLO also said that although these state government agencies and bodies are excercising their statutory responsibilities, but their enforcement activities are inflicting pain and hardship on the people. The Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, made the appeal while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday.
Ezekwueme recalled that CLO had earlier appeal to Soludo to conduct training and retraining of officers and men of various government agencies to inculcates moral rectitude, respect, discipline, civility and decorum in discharging their constitutional responsibilities.
According to him, in view of torrents of complaints in our office by aggrieved person’s; the pathetic and pitiable situation deserved urgent and immediate intervention of His Excellency, Prof. Charles Soludo to restore normalcy, trust, confidence of the citizens and averts avoidable self help from citizenry.
“It is noteworthy that every government is measured by the actions and behaviours of it’s officials. CLO decries with great disdain impunities been perpetrated by some government agents in state that has scared traders, visitors and investors away from the state.
“It will be also recalled that few months ago, citizen Mrs. Nkemakolam Nnamani of 87 Oraifite Street Awada, Obosi was brutalized, assaulted and wounded by officials of Anti-Touting Squad at Upper Iweka near TRACAS.
“It is irrefutable reality that for the past three months she has been visiting many hospitals.She is now incapacitated as she neither walk nor work.Lamenting her ordeals in hands of uncouncionable and inhumane Anti-Touting Squad, she stated that their insensate and barbaric acts can never happen anywhere in the world.
“They were brutalizing an aged woman and I pleaded with them to spare the life of the senior citizen. One of them Kabaka used a pistol, hammer, and other weapons with him and disfigured by leg, since then I have been treating myself with which have engulfed humongous money without improvement.
“The only concern showed by the perpetrators was when one Mr. Kendo visited me and gave me pantry N50,000 from their MD/CEO. I am calling on Gov. Soludo, Mrs Nonye Soludo, and Human Rights Organizations to come to my aid. I am dying and my children no longer go to school due to paucity of funds and I’m still owing those I borrowed money for my treatments.”
The CLO noted that it was unfortunate and despicable that the good intention of the governor for establishing them had been eroded as “it is now conduit pipe for extorting, exploiting and intimidating citizens, visitors, and residents of the state.”
Ezekwueme, however, made passionate appeal to the governor and government to visit her, bear her hospital bills and rehabilitates her medically and financially and restore life, hope and joy in her.
“We appeal to Anambra State Government and security agents to fish out the perpetrators to face full wrath of the law in other to act as deterrents to others,” he said. Similarly, CLO wishes to draw attention of Anambra State government to unbridled obstructions, intimations, exploitations, extortions and threats to lands and properties developers in the state.
“These abnormalities ranged from outrageous demands for unauthorized development levy, youths and elders levies, renovations, tilling, fencing, culverts and drainages constructions levies contrary to Anambra law “Prohibition of Fraudulent Practices on Land and Property Law 2012”.
“The Law forbids obstructions and exploitations of lands and properties developers in the state,” Ezekwueme said. The CLO boss commended the governor for signing into law Anambral State Electoral Bill.
“CLO urges Gov. Soludo to expedite appointment of Chairman and Members of Anambra State Independent Election Commission and immediately commence process towards conduct of Local Government Election last conducted in 2014 by former Gov. Peter Obi administration,” he said.
