Ben Dunno, Warri
The Delta State branch of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned the spate of political violence during Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, particularly the violence in Kogi State where a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) women leader was burnt to death by thugs.
Mrs Acheju Abuh, Women Leader of the Wada/Aro campaign council at Ochadamu Ward, was burnt to death by thugs after the release of the governorship election result in that state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Condemning the savage act in a communiqué issued at the end of its congress held in Warri at the weekend, the CDHR also berated the National Assembly over the proposed passage of a controversial Hate Speech bill which prescribes the death sentence for offenders.
The CDHR congress, presided over by the state Chairman, Comrade (Dr) Kehinde Taiga, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for exposing corruption in National Assembly by revealing that lawmakers had collected N1 trillion on constituency projects over a period of 10 years with nothing to show for it.
The congress also applauded the out-going national executive of CDHR for the successful hosting of the last Annual General Congress (AGC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where a new leadership was inaugurated with Chairman, Kehinde Taiga, emerging as the national Vice President.
Other issues raised in the communiqué signed by the Chairman and the Secretary, Jonathan Giama, included the need for the Delta State government to address the rot and extortion in the state health care system and educational sectors.
The body revealed that the level of corrupt practices in public hospitals, and primary and secondary schools across the state was becoming alarning, with patients, pupils and students being ripped off by authorities.
It also condemned the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Okowa, CSP George Efezomor, over the brutal attack, torture and arrest of a mechanic in Asaba alongside his relations for parking a car behind their convoy vehicles right in front of his workshop.
The communiqué also condemned the move by the Chairman of Udu Council area, Chief Jite Brown, to impose a tenement level on native landlords in the area and using the police to enforce total compliance to the collection of the levies, urging the state government to intervene in the matter before the issue degenerates.
Taiga also used the the congress to remind the Commissioner of Police, Adeyinka Adeleke, of the 21-day ultimatum he (Taiga) had issued for him to tackle extortion by his men and officers along major roads in the state, within both urban and rural settlements
He reiterated that, if at the expiration of the ultimatum, nothing was done to address the situation, he would not hesitate to mobilise a 5,000 strong protest in Asaba, the state capital, to demand for the Commissioner’s removal from his position as chief of police in the state.