Magnus Eze, Enugu and Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Oraifite killings
Has continued to generate reactions with the Ala-Igbo Development Foundation (ADF), the Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU) and the United Anambra State Association of Canada (UASAC) calling for an investigating into the remote and immediate cause of the crisis that led to loss of lives, arson and destruction of properties.
ADF asked the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to probe the immediate and remote causes of the crisis in the home of Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at Ifite-Oraifite community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Chairman of ADF’s Bureau of Media and Publicity, Chief Abia Onyike, in a statement, yesterday, called on those working for and representing the interest of Ndigbo, especially pan-Igbo organisations to also institute a collective inquiry into the Oraifite mayhem and publish same to the world.
“Ndigbo should no longer continue folding their hands when the Federal Government, her army and security forces as well as the insurgent herdsmen have invaded and occupied Alaigbo, terrorizing, killing and brutalizing her citizens,” the ADF stated.
Similarly, UASAC, in a statement by its President, Chief Chuks Ejikeme, and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ilukwe, expressed shock and condemned the extrajudicial killing of police officers and civilians and massive destruction of properties at Ejiofor’s compound, noting that the situation could have been handled better.
“We ask them to constitute an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the actual cause of the matter and what measures to forestall future occurrence; making sure that those found culpable are punished according to the law,” the group said.
It also appealed to the police to handle the case with best practices’ principle and restore the confidence and credibility of the police before the citizens and the international community.
Ejikeme said as proud Anambra citizens, the association reiterated its commitment to peace, safety, security of the state and the nation at large and appealed to all the people to abstain from taking laws into their own hand. He said the association commiserates with the police force over the unfortunate killing of its officers as well as the families that lost their loved ones and properties in the unfortunate incident.
ASETU also called on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the chief security officer of Nigeria, to rise to the occasion and bring the perpetrators of the act to justice.
National President of ASETU, Chief Emeka Diwe, urged everyone to speak out when security forces begin to perpetrate and unleash insecurity in the country and levy war on unarmed, vulnerable and defenceless citizens.
“Nothing in this case has called for state-sanctioned violence against innocent citizens. It is reprehensible, outrageous and obviously an act that must be condemned by everyone who means well for this country. We cannot continue to keep militarizing civil spaces and letting hell loose on citizens over insignificant issues and expect peace and national cohesion to thrive.”