Activist lawyer, Adegboruwa condemns military deployment in Southeast

Human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, yesterday condemned the deployment of military in the Southeast and the use of soldiers to clamp down on civilians in a democratic government, which operates under the rule of law.

He argued that deploying soldiers to that part of the country was uncalled for since there is no insurrection in the Southeast now to warrant the display of military force or deployment.

The activist also described as amazing the clamp down on the Premium Times, an online medium, in Abuja and other civil protesters as an affront on freedom of the people.

His words: “The soldiers quelled the Shiites’ peaceful rally in Zaria, Kaduna State, the military sacked civilian communities in the Niger Delta, the military supervised elections in Rivers and other places, the military mowed down peaceful gatherings in the Southeast and took over Premium Times’ office in Abuja, a while ago.”

He was amazed by the overwhelming support for the President Mohammadu Buhari administration, even by those who were suppose to criticise the government’s policies.

He went on: “It’s just so amazing, that our entire life has been swallowed up in this frenzy and support for the Buhari administration, as to even justify military clamp down on civilians in a supposed democratic government, birthed under the rule of law, human rights and freedoms.

“I’ve read people, and even comrades and enlightened ones, prodding them on, defending the military to carry on ‘Python Dance’, in the midst of civilians and locals. The military! The next phase of this hidden agenda is a take over of civilian authority, because when the ‘python’ has finished ‘dancing’, it must surely swallow something to quench its usually large appetite.

“Why is the ‘python’ not ‘dancing’ in Kaduna, where a quit notice was handed down to the Igbo to vacate? Why is the ‘python’ not ‘dancing’ in Yenagoa and Ibadan where separatist agitations are also on the rise? Are pythons found only in Igboland?

Adegboruwa added that he hoped those who are riding on the back of the military tiger now, do not end up in its belly someday, because, according to him, “once you put fire on petrol, then you cannot dictate how it should burn.”

He, therefore, urged the soldiers to go back to the barracks and submit themselves to civilian authority.