*Demands Comprehensive Overhaul Of Security Measures Or Permission For Residents To Bear Arms In Self-defence
*Urges Residents Never To Surrender Lands To Terrorists
*Mum’s The Word From Govt House Owerri
By our reporter
Tasking Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to provide effective leadership and stamp out the incessant attacks and killings of the state’s citizens by those it described as armed Fulani terrorists masquerading as herders, prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has absolutely condemned the “intolerable crime” of the brutal killing of an Imo citizen who had just returned from the United States of America (USA).
The rights body stated that the returnee was on his way to inspect his landed assets in Umuguma, Owerri, capital of the South-East Nigeria state, when he was killed on Sunday evening, June 1, and his wife abducted.
It said the deceased was an indigene of Ihiala, Anambra State, South-East Nigeria, and had travelled with his wife and some land agents to inspect a property near Golden Estate and Abba Father Avenue in Umuguma, when the suspected herdsmen fatally struck.
These were contained in a press release issued today by National Coordinator, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko.
HURIWA said the latest attack was one case “amongst the multiplicity of reported attacks in the state by Fulani terrorists.”
HURIWA alleged that armed herders have carried out over 36 violent operations in the State “even as no single arrest or prosecution has been transparently recorded.”
The statement read: “The Imo State Governor seemed massively distracted by the politics of opportunism and securing procured endorsements for second term ambition of the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu so much so that the Governor really spends little time in Imo state to pay attention to the issues of a lack of effective and efficient government- led response to the heightened state of insecurity in Imo State made problematic by the sudden invasion of several farmlands by armed Fulani terrorists in Imo State.
“The constitutional duty of the State Governor is to implement foolproof proactive security measures and activate security mechanisms to secure lives and property of the good people of Imo State.
“In the event that the Imo State Governor prefers playing politics of 2027 second term ambition of President Tinubu, he can as well resign immediately so Imo state citizens can elect a capable, competent and caring Governor who would see to the adequate protection of lives and property of the good people of Imo State who are currently under intensive terrorists attacks masterminded by Fulani terrorists who pretend to be herdsmen.
“HURIWA informs Governor Uzodinma that if he has no solution to the killings of Imo citizens by armed Fulani terrorists, then he has no business remaining as the Governor of Imo State because his abysmal failures to provide efficient and effective security to protect the citizens is a negation of the very constitutional oath of office he took as the Governor of Imo State.
“Reading the uninspiring response of the Imo State Police Command manifests the shameless absence of any sort of professional commitment on the part of the police and the multiple layers of armed security forces in Imo state to work as partners to rid the State of the incessant attacks by Fulani terrorists who are emboldened by the inaction of government to escalate their targeted terrorism against soft targets in Imo state.
“The security forces should end these killings or alternatively the government should licence the citizens to bear arms and sophisticated weapons like AK-47 and AK-49 to safeguard their precious lives and hard earned property especially their landed assets now under grave threats of takeover by Fulani terrorists.
“The gruesome killing of the deceased who is an indigene of Ihiala in Anambra State, who had travelled with his wife and some land agents to inspect a property near Golden Estate and Abba Father Avenue in Umuguma, is absolutely reprehensible and despicable.
“The scary news that the family of the USA returnee who were moving in his Toyota Highlander SUV, was ambushed by masked gunmen believed to be herdsmen, killed and his wife kidnapped right inside of Umuguma Owerri is such a painful episode and to even realise that this attack is one amongst the dozens of other violent attacks by terrorists of Fulani extraction in the heartland of Igboland and they go unchallenged, is to put it mildly, very humiliating to the people of South-East of Nigeria who are now treated like people whose landed assets are about to be taken away from them by some distant strangers. On no account should Imo State citizens chicken out and allow strangers take over their lands.
“Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants attacked the vehicle, prompting resistance from the returnee, who attempted to escape. The gunmen shot him in the head, killing him instantly, and abducted his wife.
“Land agents at the scene notified the police, who later retrieved the victim’s body and the vehicle. As of press time, the woman’s whereabouts remained unknown.
“We in HURIWA hereby demand that the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Director of Department of State Services and the military commanders in Imo State state must partner with Civilian Joint task force, as is the case in other flashpoints of terrorism, to stamp out these terrorists who are determined to destroy Imo State and South East of Nigeria.”
As of press time, there was yet to be a reaction from Government House, Owerri, on the HURIWA statement.
