BREAKING NEWS, Security
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WORRIED by what it described as continued detention of its members by the Department of State Services, DSS, a group under the aegis, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, in conjunction with Citizens for Good Governance , yesterday, petitioned the British and United States governments to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the matter.
The group also called on the United States, United Kingdom and all other European nations to place visa and travel bans on any official of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the police or any politician found culpable in promoting and condoning violence during the Rivers State rerun election.
According to the group, following the unending intimidation by the DSS, the US and UK governments, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, should urgently investigate the matter and make relevant findings in accordance with their statutory powers to so do. The group demanded the immediate release of Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere alongside three other members all of who they said has been detained for over a month by the DSS.
Also yesterday, the group stormed the headquarters of NHRC and submitted a copy of the petition to the Acting Executive Secretary, Oti Ovrawah, and Amnesty International, Abuja, calling for the “immediate investigation of all those who incited violence during the run up to the rerun elections in Rivers State including Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Chairman of APC; Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State and Chibuike Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation.”
In the petition, the lawyers said, that the “inflammatory comments heightened tension and created a veritable ground for violence to fester and remotely led to the deaths of DSP Mohammed Alkali, his orderly and all other citizens who lost their lives in the Rivers Rerun election.”
According to the lawyers, the group had on December 22, 2016, written letters to notify the Police of a planned protest march to raise alarm on the imminent threat to Nigeria’s democracy and the “ignoble” role of security agencies in the Rivers rerun election by security agencies which they alleged “are being covered by the establishment.”
While expressing the group’s ordeal in the hands of security agencies, the group said, “About 2a.m., on the morning of the protest, officers of the DSS stormed the law office of our member at suite B29, Shakir Plaza, Area 11, Garki Abuja, ransacked the office, carted away case files in the office, laptops, phones, all materials for the rally including Nigerian flags, posters and banners, all documents in the office and also arrested four members who are still in detention till date and have not been charged to court for any offences.”
In her response, acting Executive Secretary of NHRC, Oti Ovrawah, assured the protesters that the commission would look into the group’s petition with a view to ensuring the protection of human rights in the country. – Vanguard
— Jan 24, 2017 @ 17:25 GMT
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