South East Insecurity: RULAAC Accuses FG Of Adopting Brute Force Against Suspects

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Civil Society group, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has accused the federal government of Nigeria of adopting counterproductive approach in its fight against insecurity in the Southeast Geo political zone of the country.

It equally launched a five chapter comprehensive report with executive Summary on insecurity and widespread human rights violations by security forces in the region.

The report titled “unveiling the Roots of Insecurity, Healing the Wounds of Human Rights Violations in Southeast Nigeria: A Path Towards Peace, Open Democratic Space and a Prosperous Future” was made public. Wednesday in Enugu.

In his temark during the unveiling of the report produced In partnership with Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), Executive Director of RULAAC, Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, explained that the report was intended to drive the true narrative about the nature, roots, patterns, dimensions and the effects of current government’s approach to tackling insecurity in the Southeast.

He noted that one of the additional factors fueling the cycle of violence, as documented in the report, is the federal government’s single-minded brute force and counterproductive approach to fighting insecurity in the zone.

Nwanguma added that “The federal government is simply not interested in listening to the voices of reason in or about the Southeast,” he said.

“It is not paying attention to the plight of the people and not interested in sincerely addressing or solving the problems of the people of the zone,”.

He stated that rather than adopt a more open-minded approach, the federal government is driven by the mindset – as revealed by President Buhari during an interview in 2021- ‘’to speak to the people in the language that they understand’’

Nwanguma further stated that while RULAAC acknowledges that pro-Biafra agitation and insurgency are significant contributors to insecurity in the South East, attributing the problem solely to these factors paints an incomplete picture.

Speaking at the event, chaired by professor Okey Ibeanu Regional Director, West Africa at Ford Foundation, which provided financial support for the report, Chichi Aniagolu stated that the Southeast used to be a bastion of peace till insecurity creeped in and changed the situation.

She noted that necessary steps muat be taken to address the situation, adding that the foundation sees peace and security as vital for development hence it’s decision to support the report.

Reviewing the report, a professor Emeritus, Obasi Igwe, regretted that huge number of innocent citizens have lost their lives in the South East zone of the country as a result of insecurity, adding that the killings were perpetrated by booth state and non state Actors.

Professor. Igwe, blamed the alarming insecurity situation in the region on former president Mohammadu Buhari,whom he , accused of criminalizing every youth in the region.

He alledged that the unknown gunmen was a creation of the former Nigerian leader.