Boko Haram suspects in South East: The CLO position

By Our Reporter on July 20, 2015 Opinion

By Aloysius Attah

FORTY five years after the fratricid­al Nigeria Civil War where millions of Ndigbo were massacred with ut­ter savagery, the Igbos, despite the proclamation of the famous three Rs (Reconstruction, Reconciliation and Rehavilitation) have remained the most endangered species .

In the Nigerian political configura­tion, they are treated as second class citizens. In the allocation of federal projects they ‘carry last’ while at the slightest break of ethnic riots or unrest in the North, they become the first target often resulting in monu­mental loss of lives and properties.

In the wake of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region of Nigeria, Ndigbo have suffered ca­lamitous losses as their fine breeds who have domiciled in the North for many years have been moweddown in droves. In Anambra State, Adazi Nnukwu and Umunnachi to be pre­cise, monuments of several caskets brought back in dozens, all victims of Boko Haram litter the communi­ties. The surviving family members of such victims have remained disil­lusioned, scattered and psychologi­cally traumatized.

In the All Progressives Congress (APC) change mantra which cul­minated in the inauguration of Mu­hammed Buhari as Nigeria’s Presi­dent on May 29th 2015, Ndigbo just like other Nigerians had (have) high expectations that our Eldorado has come.

Buhari and his team while cam­paigning assured us that insurgency will be a thing of the past once he as­cends the throne and for Ndigbo, he promised that as Ogbuagu of Aba, Abia State and Okechukwu of Igbo lineage, we should be rest assured that we are ‘covered and protected’ because there will be no discrimination or alienation of any tribe most especially Ndigbo under his watch.

But beyond all the promises and as­surances, Buhari’s real welcome gift to Ndigbo is the relocation of suspected terrorists to prisons in Anambra state under tight security on the night of Sat­urday 27th June 2015.

This act which happened barely few hours after the traders in Anambra State shut down all markets in the state in protest over the relocation has at­tracted widespread condemnation and more protests from several groups and platforms.

It is our position in the Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organisa­tion (CLO) that against all intents and purposes which the federal government of Nigeria can give, the relocation of such breed of suspects to Anambra State is illogical, ill-conceived, detri­mental to the Nigerian and Igbo society and uncalled for.

We view such act as a continued on­slaught against Ndigbo in the Nigerian project. It is the height of government miscalculation and the mockery of a unique and much endowed race now taunted as a conquered territory.

Bringing Boko Haram suspects here will compound and escalate the is­sue of terrorism instead of taming the scourge. The detainees also while here have been denied access to justice since the courts in Anambra have no jurisdiction to try them.

Their presence here in the state has heightened the fear of insecurity among the citizens and the people are psychologically scared already.

We commend all the individuals, the clergy, groups and associations that have spoken up in condemnation of the federal government action.

Also, the continuous closure of markets in Anambra State in the name of protests for the relocation of Boko Haram suspects in Anambra should stop forthwith. The traders have made a statement through their shut down of markets and peaceful protests of Saturday July 27th 2015. The con­tinuous/incessant closure of markets on the order of the central market leaders without any consultation on the traders and their separate unions with its attendant economic implica­tions is undemocratic and smacks of high handedness coated with ulterior motives.

While we welcome the reported meeting between the state government and a federal government delegation over the issue, we call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency return the Boko Haram detainees to their former base while putting in mo­tion machinery for confidence build­ing and damage control on the psyche of Ndigbo.

Government should intensify its efforts in combating terrorism and endeavor to subject its actions and policy statements scrutiny before exe­cution in line with the public opinion guage to avoid frequent somersaults and reversals.

. Attah is the Chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Anambra State.