Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Amnesty International (AI) chastised the federal government and security agencies yesterday for failing to investigate the Ebubeagu, the South-east regional security outfit, recurring killings.
AI’s spokesman, Isa Sanusi, stated this in response to the alleged killing of seven youths by Ebubeagu in Imo State last Sunday.
The human rights organization chastised the government for attributing the killings to Biafran indigenous peoples rather than conducting proper investigations.
Several cases of extrajudicial executions carried out by law enforcement officers and members of the Ebubeagu security outfit in response to the violence in the South-East have been documented, according to AI.
“It is horrifying that unarmed young men who clearly posed no threat to anyone were gunned down, with complete disregard for the right to life,” Amnesty International Nigeria Director Osai Ojigho said. Under any circumstances, such killings can never be justified. “Nigerian authorities must put a stop to these atrocities. Authorities must conduct prompt, thorough, and transparent investigations into the killings and hold fair trials for anyone suspected of criminal responsibility.”
In addition, authorities must ensure that victims and their families have access to justice and effective redress.
On July 17, 2022, members of the Ebubeagu state security outfit allegedly executed at least seven friends, including two siblings, in the Awomamma community of Oru East Local Government of Imo State.
“International law requires the Nigerian government to investigate unlawful killings as soon as possible in order to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has stated that the government will not be deterred by the incident’s propaganda. The governor addressed the incident following the Imo State Security Council meeting.
Though the state’s Directorate of State Security Services has claimed responsibility, those killed were members of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) Eastern Security Network (ESN) who were apprehended in their camp at Awomama.
However, the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) Worldwide, has strongly condemned the killing of seven wedding guests in the State by the Ebubeagu security outfit.
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has given the State Governor a seven-day ultimatum to resign or be impeached by the Imo State House of Assembly, or else the youths will occupy the roads lawfully in protest of his resignation as Governor of Imo State.
Governor Uzodimma stated that the government was briefed on the incident by the Director of State Services in an interim report made available to members of the Security Council, adding that the DSS Director confirmed that his men carried out an operation in a Camp at Awomma with the assistance of their informant, not at a wedding location as claimed by the youths, and that some bandits were neutralized during the process.
He stated that while the Security Council awaits a detailed report on the incident, the public should be wary of those who are using the incident as a propaganda tool to blackmail the Security agencies and the government.
Uzodimma also used the opportunity to call the claim on social media and in a section of traditional media about a 15-year-old girl allegedly impregnated in DSS custody a fallacy.
According to the governor’s security report, two ladies were apprehended with bandits about six months ago and have been assisting the DSS in identifying and apprehending other dangerous bandits in the state.
In addition, the so-called 15-year-old lady is the girlfriend of a key gang leader of the bandits terrorizing the state who is being pursued by DSS agents.
The governor stated that a security report revealed that the fleeing gang leader had reached out to his sponsors, who had resorted to blackmailing the DSS and diverting attention by using the 15-year-old lady in question.
“You know I will never allow anything ungodly to happen in Imo State,” he said. Their goal is to sever the relative peace that security agencies have helped us achieve in Imo State, which we are determined to keep. We will not be deterred, and no amount of propaganda or blackmail will prevent the security agencies from carrying out their duties.”
The DSS paraded a suspect in Owerri on Tuesday, accusing him of being a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) Eastern Security Network (ESN), which led them to one of their camps at Awomama, where some of the group’s leaders were killed.
“My name is Chinonso Mmerem, and I led the DSS to the ESN camp at Awomama. I was apprehended a week ago by security agents, and on Sunday I led them to the camp where they were holding meetings in preparation for the sit-in on Monday.”
“Some of the members were shot, including “One man” squad, our leader at Awomama, who escaped with bullet wounds but his phone was retrieved by the DSS,” he explained.
The National President of the OYC, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, and the Secretary General, comrade Obinna Achionye, responded in a statement made available to journalists yesterday, saying they were saddened that the lives of promising young men were cut short by reckless Ebubeagu security operatives.
“Our hearts are filled with rage over Ebubeagu security operatives’ mindless and reckless killing of innocent people,” he said. It is unthinkable that a local security force would open fire on unarmed civilians for no apparent reason. We are even more saddened by the Imo State Government’s deafening silence in the days following the brutal killing.” Ndigbo are concerned that nothing good has come out of Hope Uzodinma’s government since he took office. It’s been one crisis after another, culminating in this strange action by the government-controlled Ebubeagu. His reign has only brought the people of the state grief.” There have been reports of state forces using Ebubeagu to settle scores in Ebonyi State; the onslaught now appears to have spread to Imo State. This is completely unacceptable and should be condemned by all good men.
“We demand a private investigation into this matter, and while no life can be compensated for, adequate compensation must be paid to the victims’ families,” OYC stated.
“We are also urging the people of the Area to begin exploring measures of self-defense because Ndigbo are not known to cowards,” the OYC added.
COSEYL, the apex sociopolitical youth organization in the South East geopolitical zone, is saddened by the barbaric, villainous, and senseless killing of innocent youths who came for a traditional marriage in Awo – Ommama in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State by men from the Ebubeagu security operatives outfit.
COSEYL President General Goodluck Ibem and Publicity Secretary Okey Nwaoru issued a statement strongly condemning the heinous killings.
The group claims that “the spate of unlawful killings by men of illicit Ebubeagu operatives, a security outfit formed by Governor Hope Uzodinma, is on an evil mission to kill all Imo youths in the state who he believes will challenge his re-election as governor come 2023.”
Imo State is no longer a democracy, but rather a despotic and tyrannical regime whose sole goal is to kill people at will while plundering the state’s resources.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Ebubeagu Operatives who committed this heinous crime against humanity, as well as the formation of an independent panel of inquiry to properly investigate such heinous crime against humanity,” they said.
