Listen to Obasanjo’s wise advice, group tells Buhari

Mon, Sep 18, 2017 | By publisher


Politics

 

THE Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice, CHRSJ, a human rights group in Nigeria, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to turn a deaf ear to the wise advice of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the federal government should dialogue with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

The CHRSJ in a statement issued and signed by Alimi Adeniyi, its executive chairman, on Monday, September 18, maintained that the member of the IPOB did not commit any crime that could warrant invasion of its leader’s house by the Military. The CHRSJ also frowned at the way and manner the Nigeria Army declared the IPOB as a terror group.

It stated that the IPOB agitation should be resolved through a genuine referendum to put the matter to rest once and for all, adding that Nigeria government should learn from Brexit of 2016, when the British people when on referendum to decide their exit from European Union.

The rights group strongly condemned the militarisation of the South East zone by the Nigerian soldiers, describing the action as the act of dictatorial tendency on the part of Buhari government as a way to return the country back to the dark days of Military era, which people of good will should not allow it to stand.

Besides, the human rights group maintained that there was no alternative to dispute resolution than dialogue and that it was time for Buhari to dialogue with the leaders and members of the IPOB as being canvassed by Obasanjo.

It said: “Any government in Nigeria without restructuring is deceptive. Only restructuring of the nation can bring an enduring democracy. There is nobody in the country today who does not appreciate the need to restructure this nation, only those who are mischievous today would not want the restructuring of the country.

Nevertheless, the CHRSJ, called on the federal government to withdraw military troops from the South-East, saying the military men should dissipate their energy on Boko Haram in the North-East and Fulani Herdsmen and not on those campaigning for their rights.

In addition, it said that the federal government should tender public apology to the good people of South-East over the unconstitutional military onslaught.

 

–   Sept.  18, 2017 @ 16:55 GMT

 

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