…warns against illegality in fighting criminality
Juliana Francis
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has expressed concern over the abduction of a female soldier, Lieutenant PP Johnson, by a group for ‘fighting for Biafra.’
The Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said that his organisation received with serious concern the news of the abduction of the newly commissioned female Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army (NA), by a group that claims to be ‘fighting for Biafra’.
Nwanguma said: “This is a condemnable criminal action that does not conform with or advance the cause of freedom and justice which Biafra agitation represents. It reminds us of the atrocious act of torture, dehumanization and murder of a military couple who were similarly abducted earlier this year somewhere around the Orlu axis of Imo State by a criminal group also masquerading as freedom agitators. We support every lawful action necessary to rescue the kidnapped military officer and bring her kidnappers to justice.”
The human rights activist further noted that the reported misplaced aggression and reprisal allegedly by military and EbubeAgu operatives indiscriminately unleashed on residents of a whole community in the guise of carrying out rescue operations makes the perpetrators no different from the criminals they are searching for.
“How can community members be indiscriminately attacked and killed, and their house set on fire, in the name of rescue operation? This is a repeat of the Odi massacre which did not lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the crime for which the rescue operation and reprisal action were ordered. We call for professional restraint and compliance with the rules of engagement while dealing with a civilian population in crime fighting and law enforcement. This is to avoid needless casualties and victimization of innocent citizens. Security agents responsible for murder and arson should be treated like the criminals who abduct security agents,” said Nwanguma.
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