Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), yesterday, condemned the invasion of Aku-Okigwe, in Imo State, by the Nigerian Army and South East security outfit, Ebubeagu, in their efforts to rescue an abducted woman soldier, Lieutenant PP Johnson.  

HURIWA condemned the method adopted by the military, in which the entire stretch of the federal highway from Okigwe, in Imo, to Lokpanta, in Abia State, was blocked, and travellers left stranded for hours. The group added that even neighbouring villages were set ablaze by soldiers, which totally violated rules of engagement in internal security operations.  

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, also condemned the abduction of the female soldier by unknown gunmen, while visiting her grandmother on December 26, 2022.

Stressing that kidnapping and killings of members of security forces by hoodlums are intolerable crimes against humanity, the rights group challenged operatives working within the intelligence community to arrest the actual perpetrators of the act.

The group, while charging security agents to go after perpetrators of the act, cautioned state actors against the use of maximum force on residents of the community where the abduction occurred to avoid collateral damage. The fact that most people, who were still home for the Christmas season were unaware of why there were sporadic gunshots, including explosion of dozens of canisters of suspected hand-grenades, spread a climate of fear for hundreds of thousands of citizens, who were in their home towns for the Christmas festivities.

The rights group wondered why soldiers, who ought to be professionally trained and maintained with taxpayers’ funds, would subject innocent villagers to such callous ordeal. 

According to reports, soldiers and Ebubeagu operatives had gone on rampage in their bid to trace and rescue Lieutenant PP Johnson. It was gathered that security operatives also set ablaze houses of villagers who are not involved in the abduction of the young soldier. 

The reports further stated that soldiers, as well as Ebubeagu operatives have gone on rampage in their bid to trace and rescue Johnson, setting houses of residents ablaze during raids.

HURIWA, therefore, noted that this strategy is primitive, illegal, despicable, reprehensible and condemnable. The group stressed that the Chief of Army Staff needs to seriously work on the area of civil military relations and work out modalities to win the hearts and minds of the civilian population to receive actionable intelligence.

The group, while charging security agents to go after perpetrators of the act, cautioned state actors against the use of maximum force on residents of the community where the abduction occurred to avoid collateral damage. The fact that most people, who were still home for the Christmas season were unaware of why there were sporadic gunshots, including explosion of dozens of canisters of suspected hand-grenades, spread a climate of fear for hundreds of thousands of citizens, who were in their home towns for the Christmas festivities.

The rights group wondered why soldiers, who ought to be professionally trained and maintained with taxpayers’ funds, would subject innocent villagers to such callous ordeal. 

According to reports, soldiers and Ebubeagu operatives had gone on rampage in their bid to trace and rescue Lieutenant PP Johnson. It was gathered that security operatives also set ablaze houses of villagers who are not involved in the abduction of the young soldier. 

The reports further stated that soldiers, as well as Ebubeagu operatives have gone on rampage in their bid to trace and rescue Johnson, setting houses of residents ablaze during raids.

HURIWA, therefore, noted that this strategy is primitive, illegal, despicable, reprehensible and condemnable. The group stressed that the Chief of Army Staff needs to seriously work on the area of civil military relations and work out modalities to win the hearts and minds of the civilian population to receive actionable intelligence.