Ile-Ife Crisis: HURIWA warns IGP against partiality
Says Parading Of Suspects Unconstitutional
A pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has warned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to avoid interventions in civil crises and mass murders that paints his leadership as deeply partisan and discriminatory.
The rights group also cautioned against the frequent media parade of crime suspects by the Police even before they are arraigned in competent courts of law, saying such is unconstitutional.
In a statement jointly endorsed by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA criticised the Police chief for the alleged discriminatory arrest of suspects from only a section of the country following the Ile-Ife fratricidal clash between the Hausa and Yoruba and urged the National Assembly to probe the allegation by Afenifere of mass arrest of only the Yoruba by the Police.
HURIWA said: “At no time in the history of policing since after the 30 months civil war has the person holding the high office of IGP been accused loud and clear by respectable elder statesmen of adopting policing styles that criminalises some ethnic groups and treats a particular ethnic group as saints even when the contrary speaks louder than the loudest sound.
HURIWA alleged that the public comments and body language of the Police boss on the Southern Kaduna genocide, the Benue massacre by armed Fulani herdsmen and the recent Hausa versus Yoruba civil unrest depicts his headship of the Police as if he is there to serve sectional interest.
The group also criticised Idris for engaging in public spat with representatives of Southern Kaduna people over the casualty figures from the massive violent attacks against the Christian dominated communities by armed Fulani herdsmen, even when till date the suspects who were reportedly appeased with cash by a particular governor have yet to be arrested and prosecuted.
HURIWA said it is time for the National Assembly and the National Police Council to constructively investigate the unprofessional approach to conflict resolution adopted by the current IGP, which has largely attracted widespread condemnation for the policing institution.
The rights group said it is time the IGP be reminded that he was not picked by President Muhammadu Buhari to serve sectional interest, but was appointed to serve the whole of Nigerians, irrespective of ethno-religious configurations.
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