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HURIWA threatens to drag FG to ICC over S’East killings, kidnappings

By Ernest Nzor, Abuja and Lawrence Njoku, Enugu
23 August 2022   |   5:32 am
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, threatened to drag the Federal Government of Nigeria and the five South East governors to the International Criminal Court..

Emmanuel Onwubiko

• Rise to the challenge, COSEYL urges S’East leaders

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, threatened to drag the Federal Government of Nigeria and the five South East governors to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague, Netherlands, over killing and kidnapping in the zone.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, described the atrocious incidents in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi and Abia as “crimes against humanity,” which should be stopped forthwith.

The group said both federal and state governments are duty-bound to protect Nigerian citizens. The rights body stressed that Southeasterners should not be exposed to insecurity, which has been prevalent in the zone over the last two years.

Recall that gunmen, on Sunday, kidnapped four reverend sisters of the Catholic Church along Okigwe-Enugu road, Imo State, on their way to the church for mass.

The abducted reverend sisters are: Benita Agu, Liberata Mbamalu, Johannes Nwodo and Christabel Echemazu. The latest kidnap adds to growing number of such incidents in the South East.

Whilst some Catholic priests like Fr. Chinedu Nwadike, who was kidnapped along the same road, last week, made it alive, his other colleagues have not been fortunate, as they were killed by gunmen terrorising the zone.

Commenting on the development, Onwubiko said: “The activities of armed terrorists in the South East, especially the incessant kidnapping for ransom in Umulolo-Okigwe road, Okigwe- Enugu road in Lokpanta, are worrisome.

“HURIWA condemns the abduction of four reverend sisters on Sunday while on their way to mass, as well as other catholic priests kidnapped in the zone and other parts of the country, which show that the gunmen have specific targets in mind.”

MEANWHILE, National President of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), Goodluck Ibem, has asked leaders of the zone to rise to the challenge of insecurity by mobilising their youths to guard the forests against invaders.

He stated, yesterday, that the silence and inaction of leaders in the face of insecurity in the region are suspicious, warning that terrorists are on the verge of running over the zone.

Ibem was reacting to the kidnap of four reverend sisters. Lamenting the incident, he stated that terrorists have taken over the forests and bushes on the expressway for their illicit business, despite the presence of military and police checkpoints in the area.

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