Sit-at-home: Rights Group Condemns Killing Of Unarm Protesters In Enugu

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

A Human Right Group, Human Dignity Restoration Association, HDRA on Sunday in Onitsha Anambra State condemned the killing of unarmed protesters and called on Dr, Peter MBA, the executive Governor of Enugu State to urgently fish out the officers and prosecute them according to the law.

The unarmed protesters were protesting over the sealing of shops by Enugu State Government, through the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, (ECTDA), in a bid to stop Monday sit-at-home order in the State and by extension Southeast zone.

Making the condemnation through her Director of Media, comrade Regimus Nnaemeka Amadi, HDRA recalled that the initial sit-at-home was introduced by the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but later abandoned due to the negative effect it had on the good people of the Southeast according to Emma Powerful, the IPOB spokesperson.

“Later It was hijacked by an unscrupulous element who is still in quest to release Kanu. In an effort to stop the sit-at-home, Enugu State Government and ECTDA had resorted to sealing marketers’ shops who failed to open their businesses on Mondays whereas the shop owners pay their taxes to the government who does not care to sponsor the shop owners rather imposes all manner of taxes on them.

“Human Dignity Restoration Association, (HDRA), under the leadership of comrade Jude Achebe, condemns the action of the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mbah. In as much as HDRA is not in support to observe sit-at-home, governments at all levels do not have the right to seal any shop that wishes not to open on a particular day because it is the right of the owner to operate his business the way he wants it.

“It is a responsibility of the government to give Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) succour but the reverse is the case in Nigeria polity.

“The government should commence the action by first, unsealing those shops and apologize to the shop owners both in kind and palliatives and devise another soothing means of resolving sit-at- home in the State.

“Any of the victims who would want HDRA to challenge the anti people’s policy has the right to do so by contacting HDRA via the available means.

“In conclusion, Government of All Progressive Congress, (APC), led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should obey court order and release Mazi Nnamdi kanu unconditionally,” he stated further.