S’East Senators lament alleged killing of IPOB protesters, claim it’s targeted

Senators from the South East Geopolitical Zone have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sanction a thorough investigation into claims members of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) who held a Pro-Donald Trump rally in Porthcourt, Rivers State, were killed by security agents.

This is coming one month after Senators from the Zone, condemned an alleged killing of pro-Brafria protesters late last year.

It specifically demanded a thorough investigation by the Federal Government into the allegations of deliberate application of excessive force by security agencies in the containment of peaceful assembly particularly when groups from the South East are involved, with particular reference to the latest action.

The South East Senate in a statement in Abuja through its Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the mere fact that the security agencies applied excess force in an otherwise peaceful rally is reprehensible and questions an emerging pattern in the containment of peaceful assembly in Nigeria.

Read also: Security operatives kill 11 IPOB members, injure many celebrating Trump

Abaribe said the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended provides for the freedom of association and the right of the people to freely assemble to express their common interest.

“The last time I checked, that section of the constitution is still intact and has not been amended. It is therefore worrisome and that the rights of a section of Nigerians would be so wilfully denied with such extra force.

“If the report of killings by the security agencies were to be confirmed, it would no doubt leave a gaping hole in the unity of this country.

“This is one regrettable action too many, coming against the backdrop of the recent report of the Amnesty International (AI) of mass killings of people from the same section of the populace in Nigeria,” Abaribe said.

Accordingly, the South East Senate Caucus, Abaribe added, is not only demanding a stop to this heinous act, which has caused so much embarrassment to the country, but is also urging the Federal Government to investigate the high handedness of its security services in the handling of civil protests, with particular emphasis to the latest action by its security agencies in Port Harcourt.

 

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