As the foremost civil society organization in Nigeria involved in the promotion, protection and defense of civil and political rights, we condemn strongly the spate of violent killings that have been taking place in Rivers state recently, particularly the ones that has occurred during the rerun elections of Saturday, March 19, 2016.
CLO blames a section of politicians in the state who have collaborated with some Nigerian Army officers who have made themselves willing tools to greet innocent people as a residue for their untamed quest for power at all cost.
We particularly blame Buhari’s Transport Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi as well as the Army Chief of staffm General Brutai for drafting the soldiers to the state in violation of court decisions preventing soldiers from being involved in the elections.
It is sad that the Independent National Electoral Commission has deliberately created the occasion for the current violence in the state by allowing some politicians to use them to derail the electoral process which ordinarily should have been smooth as is seen in the resilient spirit of the voters who against all odds, resisted the barrel of the guns and intimidation to defend their vote.
May we restate that the CLO spearheaded the struggle for the current civilian rule that Nigeria enjoys today through years of struggle against military juntas and dictatorship which initially silenced free citizens from exercising their rights and some of the current
politicians made no contribution to the advocacy.
It is worrisome that the same politicians who have been reaping the gains of our struggle are today threatening the very democracy that they have been feeding fat from. It is shameful that soldiers have thrown their professionalism into the gutters by being involved in electoral fraud and particularly in killing and maiming people for daring to defend their votes.
The people of the Southsouth, particularly Rivers state must defend their right against the growing political intolerance.
Subsequently, we call for the sack of Rotimi Amaechi from Muhammadu Buhari led government as Minister and investigation on him because he poses a threat to national security particularly his desperate use of the Army because we see strong traces in him to use the military to plot a coup against the federal government under Muhammadu Buhari going by his control of the Army high command and his alleged deployment of fake soldiers in the Rivers state rerun elections.
We call for investigation into all the violence and killings in the state and particularly beginning from comments credited to known political figures who threatened violence in the state boasting about their powers from high places. We insist on the heads of the various federal armed to take responsibility for these killings along with INEC and these known politicians.
We also demand immediate prosecution of Rotimi Amaechi, the Chief of Army staff, INEC commissioner, Ikkiowak, and Amina Zakari over their roles in the killings and state terrorisms being witnessed in the state .
Sign;
Chinedu Karl Uchegbu
Southsouth chairman
CLO
Styvn Obodoekwe
Southsouth Director
CLO
