The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the unresolved assassination attempt on Ikenga Ugochinyere nearly three years after the bloody attack in Akokwa, Imo State.

The group condemned the police for what it described as indefensible failure to arrest or prosecutes those allegedly responsible for the attack.

HURIWA stated that the continued failure to resolve the case exposed dangerous cracks within Nigeria’s security and justice system and raised fears of political interference, institutional compromise and selective law enforcement.

In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the organisation said it was unacceptable that armed men could allegedly invade the residence of a serving federal lawmaker, unleash terror on the community, kill a family member, destroy properties worth millions of naira and disappear without any successful prosecution years later.

According to the group, Ugochinyere had repeatedly alleged that the attack was not an ordinary criminal incident but a coordinated political assassination attempt allegedly masterminded by forces threatened by his outspoken political activities and opposition engagements.

HURIWA noted that the lawmaker consistently maintained that heavily armed attackers stormed his family compound in Akokwa with the mission of killing him, but failed after he escaped the assault.

The association recalled allegations that the attackers allegedly opened fire indiscriminately within the compound, creating panic and chaos before killing the lawmaker’s uncle during the operation.

The group further noted claims that the attackers vandalised and destroyed the lawmaker’s personal vehicle and more than 30 other vehicles parked within the compound in what observers described as one of the most brazen politically linked attacks in recent years in Imo State.

HURIWA stated that despite the public outrage generated by the incident and the widespread destruction recorded, security agencies had allegedly failed to identify, arrest or prosecute any of the attackers or their alleged sponsors.

The association argued that the silence and apparent lack of urgency surrounding the investigation continued to fuel suspicions among Nigerians that certain politically exposed crimes were being deliberately ignored or suppressed.

The rights group warned that the inability or unwillingness of the police to conclusively investigate such a high-profile attack had created the dangerous impression that powerful actors could perpetrate political violence without consequences.

According to HURIWA, the unresolved Akokwa attack had become a symbol of a growing culture of impunity where victims of political violence were denied justice while perpetrators allegedly roamed freely.

The group advised the Inspector-General of Police and the Imo State Police Command to avoid partisan politics and actions capable of undermining public confidence in the neutrality of law enforcement institutions.

HURIWA stressed that the constitutional responsibility of the police was to protect lives and property, not to allegedly serve political interests while serious criminal cases remained unresolved.

The association added that Nigerians were increasingly alarmed by the rising pattern of politically sensitive attacks, unresolved assassinations and declining public trust in security institutions across the country.

MEANWHILE, HURIWA linked the deteriorating security situation in the country to a recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which allegedly stated that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants were operating across Nigeria.

The group said the report painted a troubling picture of a country under siege by heavily armed non-state actors allegedly responsible for killings, kidnappings, mass displacement, destruction of communities and coordinated attacks on vulnerable populations.

The rights body warned that when politically exposed assassination attempts remain unresolved while armed groups continue expanding operations nationwide, citizens naturally begin to lose faith in the state’s capacity to guarantee justice and security.

It insisted that both the perpetrators and alleged sponsors of the assassination attempt on Ugochinyere must be identified, exposed and prosecuted without fear or favour.

HURIWA reaffirmed that democracy could not thrive in an environment where political opponents allegedly became targets of violence while security agencies appeared unable or unwilling to secure justice.

The association also condemned the recent attack on operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by suspected drug syndicates in Abuja, describing the incident as a dangerous assault on national security and law enforcement institutions.

In another statement issued yesterday, Onwubiko expressed concern over what the group described as the growing wave of violent attacks against anti-narcotics officers across the country.

He referenced the mob attack on NDLEA operatives during an enforcement raid in the Dawaki area of the Federal Capital Territory, where two officers, Ayegh Dooyun Zachariah and Shehu Jamil Ibrahim, reportedly sustained serious injuries.

The injured officers are currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja, following the attack, which reportedly occurred during an operation targeting a notorious drug enclave.

HURIWA said the incident highlighted the increasing risks faced daily by NDLEA personnel in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse.

According to the group, attacks on anti-drug officers should not be viewed as isolated criminal acts but as direct threats to Nigeria’s internal security architecture and social stability.

The association commended the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, for personally visiting the injured officers and assuring them of institutional support and medical care.

It also praised the NDLEA management for providing medical support, commendation letters and welfare packages to the affected officers, describing the intervention as necessary for boosting morale within the agency.

HURIWA warned that Nigeria risks deeper insecurity if authorities fail to decisively tackle the activities of drug cartels and violent resistance against law enforcement agencies.

The group proposed that families of officers killed in active service should receive substantial compensation, while injured personnel should enjoy lifetime access to quality healthcare and rehabilitation support.

It also urged the National Assembly to begin legislative action compelling major corporate organisations to contribute part of their annual post-tax income to a proposed support fund for security personnel.