……Threatens to drag Buhari to ICC
The Association of South-East Town Unions (ASETU) has demanded an apology from President Muhammadu Buhari over his genocidal threat on the region.
The National President of the association, Chief Emeka Diwe made the demand on Thursday in Enugu while briefing newsmen at the end of their emergency security meeting.
Diwe said that the unfortunate threat was another act of insensitivity from the president, adding that Buhari already had litany of non-inclusive and discriminatory actions against the region.
“It is appalling that Buhari who has never spoken strongly against the atrocities of the Fulani herdsmen and bandits is threatening to visit another festival of blood on Igbo people.
“We demand that he retracts that statement, tenders an apology to Ndigbo and put off all arrangements geared toward enforcing that genocidal threat,” he said.
The president of the association said that they would have no option than to drag the president to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations by Nigerian security agencies in the region.
Diwe attributed the ongoing profiling of Igbo youths, mass arrest and killing of the youths on the orders to deal ruthlessly with the people of the region as issued by the Federal Government.
He said that ASETU was already compiling evidences of such extrajudicial killings in the region for onward transmission to the ICC.
“The Federal Government and the security agencies should withdraw the draconian orders given to security operatives in Igboland which have led to the ongoing profiling of Igbo youths,” he said.
He said that it was worrisome that the security agencies had not been able to track and bring to justice the killer herdsmen who had continued to attack the South-East.
“The inability of the security agencies to track and bring these merchants of death to justice over the years has remained inexplicable and unacceptable to us.
“This has fueled deep anger and mistrust in our land,” he said.
Diwe said that the association had unequivocally condemned the spate of violence in parts of the region which had led to loss of lives and destruction of public buildings.
He said that the the prevailing situation had rolled back the progress which the people of the area had begun to make in repatriating some of their investments outside the region.
“We, therefore, call on those who indulge in such retrogressive enterprise to have a rethink and immediately retrace their steps in the overall interest of the people.
Diwe called on the governors in the region to rise to the challenge of enthroning good leadership and protecting the people of the area.
“The governors must rededicate themselves to the protection of lives and property by making judicious use of their security votes and apparatuses to arrest the situation,” he said.
He called on state governments that had not legislated on the neighbourhood watch and vigilance group laws to do so.
“There is an urgent need to revamp and upscale the capacity of the already existing self-help community security initiatives which our people have trusted over the years for safety.
“We want the governors in the region to ensure that we have a robust and fully operational regional security laws which must not be politicised,” he said.
Diwe called on the people of the area to support the set up of a public-private-community trust funds for security.
“This is to have 21st Century security systems to ensure that lives and property are well protected,” Diwe said.
