EndSars protest and startling revelations should not be politicized – CLO
The ongoing EndSARS protest in Nigeria is the manifestations of the explosion of a people who have been suppressed, oppressed, abused and exploited by the governmentwhose ultimate goal is to cater for the welfare of its citizens.
While confirming the assertion that that youcan hold some people down for so long but not all the time, it is also uproarby the people against the atrocities committed by an institution created andemployed to protect them in the first place.
However,the Civil Liberties Organisation , South East Zone is worried over the political slant some ofthe issues raised by the protesters is taking. It is worrisome that issues that should be addressed on its own merit ascases of human rights violations, abuse of office and extra judicial killings are now taken to the ridiculous level of name calling, settling political scores and rivalry as well as instrument of the Nigerian Pull-Him-Down-Syndrome.
It is not in doubt that Anambra State SARSdomiciled in Awkuzu with other annex stations recorded the highest number ofextra judicial killings, human bazaar, cash for bail and detention withouttrial under the headship of James Oshin Nwafor as OC.
However, for record purposes, atrocities andviolations at the SARS Awkuzu predates the time of Nwafor and the Ezu Riverkillings of 2012/2013.
At the height of such mindless killings andbutchery, the Civil Liberties Organisation was at the forefront in itscampaigns and advocacy against such violations.
Before Nwafor took over, there were cases ofNonso Ayalogu from Onitsha and Chekwube Okeke from Nanka among several otherinstances who were murdered in cold blood while in SARS custody.
WhileNonso was roped in by a ‘powerful civilian’ from Nteje over a clash of interestin a land deal, Chekwube had issues with a business man from his community andhe was arrested from his base at Coal camp Enugu to Awkuzu SARS where he wassent to yonder without prosecution , arraignment in court or conviction.
At the height of Ezu River dumping of victimsof extrajudicial killings, the CLO stood its ground that SARS under Nwaforremains complicit in the atrocity. TheEzu River saga also threw up the imperatives of restructuring and the need toactually review the kind of federal system of government practiced in Nigeria.
A situation where the Governor of a state isthe Chief Security Officer in paper while the Commissioner of Police isanswerable to the IGP through the President makes mockery of the wholesystem. Such was the scenario then whenthe then Governor, Mr Peter Obi even as a sitting Governor couldn’t exercisemuch powers to see the end of the saga because the federal government took overthe investigation and panel of inquiry over the matter without coming up withany concrete recommendations and white paper.
Another issue resonating in Anambra since theEndSARS protest started is the demolition of Upper Class Hotel in Onitsha andthe detention of its owner, Chief Bonaventure Mokwe and Dr Justin Nwankwo.
The CLO had condemned the hasty demolition ofthe hotel without exhaustive investigation and court pronouncements. The government action in that regard remains condemnable. However, government is a continuum andfor this reason therefore, the Anambra state government owes Mokwe compensationfor both physical and psychological losses suffered.
The latest descent to violence, destructionof properties and reported killings recorded in some parts of the country inthe ongoing protests should stop forthwith.
We condemn any attempt to hijack the nobleagitations of the youths of Nigeria for a better future.
Politicians with vested interests should alsonot be allowed to infiltrate the mind of the youths or misdirect them to actany premeditated script.
Those who want to settle scores with theirperceived political enemies or potential threats should not be allowed tosucceed.
We condemn also the descent to fabrication offacts and outright peddling of falsehood which has been introduced into theAnambra cases earlier mentioned.
In investigating the Ezu River dumping of murdered suspects by security agents, panel reports and independent findings by civil society andhuman rights groups including the CLO , never in any way indicted the then Governor of the state, Mr Peter Obiover the incident. Infact, hisadministration’s efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the wholesaga and find justice for the victims was glaring and commended.
The present concoction of lies linking him tothe saga is uncalled for and a distraction from the real demands of theNigerian youths who are seeking not only for an end to the dark era of SARSatrocities but education, police and economy reforms, accountability, good governanceamong others.
Let politics be divorced from this noble ‘revolutionary’movement and let government realise that the era of taking the people forgranted and carrying on as if power doesn’t belong to the people is fading awayfast.
Signed forThe CLO, South east Zone
ComradeAloysius Attah
Zonal Chair
08035090548
