The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the second deadly attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivhianokpodi, Etsako East Local Council of Edo State by dare-devil gunmen.

Condemning the attack, which led to the killing of a security officer and the abduction of three seminarians, the group stated that the police in Edo State and the entire security and intelligence architectures in the state have shown lack of capacity to protect the lives and property of the citizens.

HURIWA said it is disgraceful that the security agents were only safeguarding politicians and those who could pay for their services rather than carrying out the statutory duty of protecting lives and property of the citizens as provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA criticised the Edo State police command and the Department of State Services (DSS) for failing to prevent the deadly attack, especially since this isn’t the first of its kind.

The group, while condemning the security agencies for failing to sweep off the armed bandits suspected to be hibernating around the forests of Edo State, said: “The forests must never be left to the armed bandits to occupy as training grounds and hideouts of terrorists.”

HURIWA expressed disappointment and shock that this kind of attack on the Seminary community in Edo State was permitted to reoccur even after the citizens of Edo State were given all the assurances by the government and the heads of the security institutions in the state never to allow the repetition of such dastardly attacks.

The association, which described the attack as one incident too many, charged the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, to prioritise the security of lives and property of the citizens of the state over and above mundane politicking.