The leaders and members of the coalition of Civil Society Groups comprising; Human Rights Defenders, (HURIDE), Ebonyi First Vanguard, EFV and the Coalition of United Political Parties,CUPP, Ebonyi State Chapter have called on the Inspector General Of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to intervene on Human Rights abuses and kidnappings happening in Ebonyi State.
The groups noted with dismay the “rising cases of killings, abductions, intimidations, harassments and flagrant suppression of the rights of Ebonyi citizens especially those in opposition political Parties.”
The groups stated this during a press conference in Abakaliki on Wednesday by Sampson Oko Nweke (State Chairman, Human Rights Defenders,HURIDE, Ebonyi state) ; Engr. Chinedum Elekwachi, (State Chairman, Coalition of United Political Parties,CUPP, Ebonyi State) and Mr. Monday Eze (Ebonyi First Vanguard).
They raised alerm over the recent gruesome murder of HRH Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in his Umuezeokoha palace by unknown assailants;
(ii) The ongoing persecution of Professor Benard Odoh, the APGA gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections by the State government.
(iii) The harassment and intimidation of Mr. Mark Onu (a.k.a Chopper) who recently resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the governor and defected to the PDP;
(iv)The abduction the youth leader of PDP in Nkomoro ward Ezza North LGA, Mr. Nwokpoku Sunday on the 7th March 2023..
(v) The attack on Dr Sunday Adol Awam, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State.
They further called on the Inspector General of Police to without delay order the State’s Commissioner of Police to restore the Policemen attached to Professor Odoh and ensure that its men and officers act within the ambit of the law so as not to inflame the already tensed political atmosphere in our dear Ebonyi State.
According to them, “That it bewilders common human understanding as to why the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Faleye Olaleye and indeed, authorities of the Nigerian Police Force cannot obey a simple Court order restraining it from arresting, harassing or detaining the APGA Governorship candidate, Professor Benard Odoh despite evidences of service on them. Rather, the Police shocked the world by mysteriously withdrawing all it’s officers attached to him. We ask, could that be a deliberate attempt to expose him to the risk of being killed by his attackers who have attempted to assassinate him about seven times? “
The statement reads,
“Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, no doubt is one of the few among the 36 States in the Nigerian Federation that has witnessed the highest cases of serial abuses of human rights, authoritarian dictatorship and downright disregard for human dignity perpetrated in virtually most cases by the government in power. From the flogging of civil servants for allegedly reporting late to work (supervised by Governor Umahi as shown in recorded video footages), to attacks and physical assaults on journalists, critics and opposition elements in general using unlawful outfits like the now disbanded Ebubeagu militia, the APC-led government in Ebonyi has made itself a clear reference point in the comity of States with high records of impunity. “
“As a matter of fact, many abounding evidences sufficiently proves that government and it’s appointees are so power-drunk that human rights does not in any way or form matter to them.”
“At this particular point in time, we, the leaders and members of the coalition of Civil Society Groups comprising; Human Rights Defenders, (HURIDE), Ebonyi First Vanguard, EFV and the Coalition of United Political Parties,CUPP, Ebonyi State Chapter have noted with dismay the rising cases of killings, abductions, intimidations, harassments and flagrant suppression of the rights of Ebonyi citizens especially those in opposition political Parties.”
- Among several others, most recent cases in point are:
(i) The recent gruesome murder of HRH Ezeogo Christopher Igboke Ewa in his Umuezeokoha palace by unknown assailants;
(ii) The ongoing persecution of Professor Benard Odoh, the APGA gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 elections by the State government.
(iii) The harassment and intimidation of Mr. Mark Onu (a.k.a Chopper) who recently resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the governor and defected to the PDP;
(iv)The abduction the youth leader of PDP in Nkomoro ward Ezza North LGA, Mr. Nwokpoku Sunday on the 7th March 2023..
(v) The attack on Dr Sunday Adol Awam, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State.
- That Human Rights Defenders(HURIDE, Ebonyi First Vanguard and Coalition of Political Parties(CUPP) jointly condemn the senseless murder of HRH Ezeogo Igboke Ewa and charge the Police and other relevant security agencies to explore all avenues for proper and diligent investigation so as to bring his killers to book.
- We are worried by the posture of Ebonyi state government as it concerns the unfortunate murder of HRH Ezeogo Igoke Ewa. HURIDE, EFV and the CUPP note with rude shock that in less than 24hours of the murder of the said traditional ruler and without waiting for police investigation, the State government through the state publicity secretary of APC, Mr. Ogbuatu Simbad hurriedly issued a Press Statement, accusing Professor Benard Odoh of being behind the murder of his own Traditional Ruler. We condemn this desperate move as such a spontaneous and ill-timed statement is capable of hitting up the polity and swaying Police investigation towards a path of victimization. It is the duty of the police to conduct a proper investigation in any crime incident and the world is still waiting to hear from the Police.
- That it bewilders common human understanding as to why the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Faleye Olaleye and indeed, authorities of the Nigerian Police Force cannot obey a simple Court order restraining it from arresting, harassing or detaining the APGA Governorship candidate, Professor Benard Odoh despite evidences of service on them. Rather, the Police shocked the world by mysteriously withdrawing all it’s officers attached to him. We ask, could that be a deliberate attempt to expose him to the risk of being killed by his attackers who have attempted to assassinate him about seven times?
- That the ongoing persecution of Mark Onu, the fresh abduction of PDP secretary in Nkomoro and the this early morning deadly attack on the Guber candidate of NNPP, Dr Adol Awam are also worrisome cases that the Ebonyi Human Rights groups are very disturbed about. For we know that it is not a crime to belong to a particular political party as the rights of every citizens to freedom of association is well enshrined in our Constitution. It should therefore not be a reason for victimization, abduction or torture of any human being who have decided to merely exercise this right.
As always, we advocate for the ventilation of the Ebonyi political space so that citizens will have the freedom to express themselves freely and without undue harassments, intimidations or suffocation of opponents.
7.That the interference of the State government in the investigation of the murder of late HRH Ezeogo Igboke Ewa is suspicious and we beckon on the them to allow the Police to carryout an unbiased investigation into the murder.
- That the murder of the late monarch should not be a flying point to witch-hunt political opponents like Professor Benard Odoh by the Ebonyi State government.
- We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to without delay order the State’s Commissioner of Police to restore the Policemen attached to Professor Odoh and ensure that it’s men and officers act within the ambit of the law so as not to inflame the already tensed political atmosphere in our dear Ebonyi State. Similarly, we have realized that ‘unknown’ soldiers have strangely taken over major roads in Onueke, Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State and other opponents strongholds and they have been reports of serious harassments and intimidations of citizens using the roads in the buildup to the now postponed Governorship and State’s Houses of Assembly elections. We request the Chief of Army Staff to immediately investigate the identities and activities of these ‘unknown’ officers who appear to be working for the interest of the ruling APC in Ebonyi State against the opposition and possibly withdraw, arrest or dismiss them. The attempt to militarize Ebonyi in this period of election stands highly condemned by us!
- Finally, that failure of the Ebonyi State government to withdraw it’s undue influence, comments and innuendos in the murder case and those of the Police to heed to these wise counsel from the Ebonyi Civil Society Groups, we shall be compelled to draw the attention of the international community to this and seek lawful redress for these affected victims which includes mobilizing for peaceful protests as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
Signed:
- Sampson Oko Nweke
(State Chairman, Human Rights Defenders,HURIDE, Ebonyi state)
- Engr. Chinedum Elekwachi,
(State Chairman, Coalition of United Political Parties,CUPP, Ebonyi state) - Mr. Monday Eze
(Ebonyi First Vanguard)
