Yemisi Izuora
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has called on the National Assembly to intervene in the withdrawal of the Chief Security Officer to the Governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyeson Wike, by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Abubukar.
The CLO in a statement notes that, “This lawless action was taken few days to the rescheduled Re-run elections into the National Assembly in Rivers State and in view of the threat to security in the Niger Delta region, especially in Rivers state in the wake of this re-run election.
The CSO, according to CLO findings, was alleged to have participated in an APC political rally in Rivers state.
The Organisation argued that the right person to complain against the CSO for such unpleasant act if at all such allegation existed, is Governor Wike, adding that unfortunately, no complaints were lodged against the CSO by the governor.
Comrade Ibuchukwu Ohabuenyi Ezike, who signed the statement said, that CLO investigations indicated that the Commissioner of Police in the state has been changed for many times since May 29, 2015, when Barr. Wike assumed duties as the governor of the State.
“In the build up to the said re-run elections, many Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) have been transferred by Abuja.
Towards the end of the tenure of the former governor of the State, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, the former PDP government embarked on such senseless actions as this and CLO didn’t mince words in condemning the conspiracy and urging the 7th NASS to live up to their responsibilities till justice was done.
We are hugely astonished that APC which rode to power on the pretext it would rewrite the ills of the previous regimes, has indulged in worse conduct of such odious practices than the PDP. CLO totally rejects the argument of the APC that while they are repeating this impunity is because PDP did same when it was power. For us, that argument is childish and holds no water at all” Ohabuenyi insisted.
The CLO maintains that the governor of a state is the leader of such state and must be respected as such in accordance with the provisions of our law and global best practices, adding, “We must at all times call abuse of the due process, rule of law and human rights by its name – an abuse”.
The CLO said it will hold the Inspector General of Police accountable for any break down of law and order in Rivers state during and after the elections till the right thing is done and then called on the National Assembly to order the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore the Chief Security Officer to the Governor of Rivers state.
The Organisation also urged the NASS to warn the IGP against further indulgence in such anti-democratic acts in future as it also demanded the review the Act establishing the Nigeria Police with a view to making the institution independent in all ramifications, including freedom from unnecessary executive interference and to strengthen it to effectively perform its duties of securing the nation.
“We do recall that during the last elections in the state, a youth corps member, Samuel Okonta, was murdered in cold blood while performing his national duties.
Till date, his killers have not been tracked and prosecuted by the Police before this current lawlessness that is capable of causing more serious threats to the security of lives and property during Saturday’s elections.
Nigeria remains few of the global nations that have no respect for human life. CLO, shall, henceforth, begin to hold state actors responsible for killing citizens in extra judicial circumstances” the statement noted.