By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has condemned in strong terms the rising spate of attacks on critical public utilities by Government security forces and non state actor fighting parties across the Southeast and rest of Eastern Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the the principal officers, namely; Emeka Umeagbalasi and Obianuju Igboeli made available to Sundiata Post on Tuesday, the group specifically and strongly condemned the late Sunday night (15th May 2022) burning of the area administrative headquarters of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) located at Ogidi in Idemmili North Local Government Area of Anambra state.
The statement also noted that, “in the coordinated attacks that also affected some buildings located inside the Idemmili North LGA Headquarters including its LGA administrative offices and the area’s Magistrate Court; the EEDC building and some automobiles were set ablaze and other properties vandalized or razed.
According to the group, “unlike other anti humanity and property crimes or violence across the Southeast questionably and controversially blamed on “ESN/IPOB” by the country’s untrained and human rights abusive security forces, the latest late Sunday night attack circumstantially had the ‘trademarks’ of self defense violent agitators and splinter others or the suspected Nigerian Government and its security forces backed ‘fifth columnist counterfeiters’.
It continued:” It is also on record that some critical public utilities such as those providing banking, health, educational, telecommunications, water and electricity supplies and services in Nigeria especially in the Southeast part of Eastern Nigeria have in recent years been targeted for burning or destruction by both state actor and non state actor armed entities or fighting parties.
“Cases abound where security forces have been strongly suspected to have remotely or clandestinely carried out such attacks for purpose of framing or criminalization and stigmatization of ‘enemy’ non state actors. There are also cases where such attacks have been circumstantially located and trademarked in the doorsteps of self defense violent agitators and splinter others or those clandestinely raised by the Government to counterfeit the former.”
Intersociety recalled that it had in its latest special report of 13th May 2022, identified security forces of Nigeria as being substantially accountable for killing defenseless civilians and rapacious destruction of their properties especially in the Southeast part of Eastern Nigeria, labeling them “ESN/IPOB or ESN/IPOB properties”.
In it’s words, “The conduct criminality trademarks of the Government security forces in the dastardly acts are ethnic profiling, criminal labeling, bias and false intelligence. The special report also identified troublesome non state actor groups to include suspected state actor raised fifth columnist counterfeiters, Fulani jihadists, street criminal entities and self defense violent agitators and splinter others”.
Intersociety therefore, sympathised with management of the EEDC and the entire electricity consuming population in Ogidi District including Awada, Obosi, Ugwuagba, Owerre-Aja and affected others over the material and social losses incurred as a result of the burning and vandalism and called for restoration of full power supply in the affected areas since the EEDC’s critical installations were not affected.
The group further renewed its call for total overhauling of intelligence and securitization services in the Southeast which have totally failed and are on the verge of collapse so as to effectively track troubling criminalities in the Region and stop the rampancy of civilian deaths and property destruction.
Finally, Intersociety urged all the fighting parties in the Southeast to immunize and spare all critical public utilities from their attacks and grievances for sake of humanity and decent, peaceful, progressive and cohesive living and development.
