A frontline civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the heads of security forces and the Armed forces of Nigeria not to allow themselves be used for political witch-hunt of leaders of Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

HURIWA said these select PDP chiefs include the past and current National Assembly members, just as it accused Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, of playing political pranks with serious national security issues by attempting to rope in some PDP chieftains into phantom allegations of funding cultists to foment trouble in Ebonyi.  

HURIWA spoke against the backdrop of accusations based on conjectures Umahi made against some PDP leaders in Ebonyi State, including National Assembly members from Ebonyi elected on PDP platform, who refused to cross carpet to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

The body said Umahi must be called to order, so he does not mess up security forces still smarting from the monumental public image fiasco created by their roles in the shooting of peaceful protesters at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos on October 20, which is already a matter of global concern, with the United Kingdom threatening to slam diplomatic sanctions on Nigeria.

“The police and military are still battling to clean up the bad image. Let Ebonyi State governor not be allowed to drag the heads of the nation’s armed forces into partisan politics, thereby scuttling their professional and institutional pride of place. Umahi cannot be the judge and prosecutor in his own case. He can’t be allowed to use what he even admitted to being fake news to accuse innocent Nigerians of sponsoring armed cultists to destabilise peace in Ebonyi State. Is he the Chief of Defence staff or is he the Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces that he now determines who gets police security or not,” HURIWA queried.

HURIWA recalled that Umahi, on Friday, alleged that one of his predecessors, Senator Sam Egwu, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Pius Anyim, and National Assembly members from his state, who failed to cross over to APC with him, were allegedly plotting to unsettle the peaceful atmosphere in the state.