- * Abia Gov, APC Chieftain Describe NGO's Claims As 'Fake News, Plot To Instigate Ethnic Crisis
- As Joe Igbokwe Urges Security Probe Of HURIWA
By Godspower Kanu (Assistant Editor, Conflicts & Investigations)
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) known as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has been severely criticized over its recent claims that 10 students of Abia State University, Uturu, near Okigwe, were allegedly kidnapped by suspected Fulani invaders.
HURIWA was also lambasted for claiming that the federal government and the Nigerian military were masterminds of the alleged killing of members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed vigilance security wing of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).
A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the South East, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, in his reaction to HURIWA's allegations on his Facebook account on Tuesday morning, September 21, 2021, described the NGO's allegations as 'fake news.
Igbokwe came down very hard on HURIWA, describing the group as a "shadowy terrorist NGO" allegedly indulging in "deliberate irresponsible act" of working in collaboration with "terrorist groups" to stoke the "embers of hate, division, conflict, killings and atrocious destruction" of the South East and Nigeria.
Recall that the Abia State Governor, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, has reacted to the reports of the alleged kidnap of the said 10 Abia State University students, denying that such incident ever happened in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled state. Ikpeazu however warned that the Abia state government will not tolerate the activities of agents of instability who may deploy violence or disinformation and misinformation, based on fake news, to destabilize the state.
The APC Chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, wrote this on his Facebook account: "Yesterday (Monday, September 20, 2021), the rampaging evil forces went to town with the fake news that 10 students of Abia State University Uturu were kidnapped by God-knows-whom.
"The shadowy terrorist NGO styled HURIWA immediately went to town with the tale that Buhari was responsible. The irresponsible HURIWA said that Buhari is killing IPOB/ESN so that Fulani herdsmen would capture the South East.
"The evil HURIWA which certainly is working with terrorist groups in South East went further to allege that the alleged kidnap of ten ABSU students was by Fulani herdsmen sent by Buhari.
"Same yesterday, Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu came out to say that no Abia State University student was kidnapped while warning agents of destabilization who manufactured and sold that fake news to steer clear of Abia State.
"For a very long time, HURIWA has been involved in this deliberate irresponsible act, which revolves around stoking the embers of hate, division, and conflict in Nigeria. By its acts, HURIWA is incontrovertibly working with the terrorist groups that are stoking the killings and atrocious destruction in the South East. It is time for security agencies to investigate HURIWA", Igbokwe stated.
The Human Rights NGO (HURIWA) which strongly believes in its story as contained in the group's statement to that effect, had accused the Federal Government of Nigeria and the military establishment in the southeast zone of colluding with alleged armed bandits claimed to be Fulanis to unleash violence and mayhem of citizens of Igboland.
The rights NGO insists in its claims, that the government of Nigeria and the Army were masterminding the alleged killings of the members of the security arm of the agitating Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) known as Eastern Security Network (ESN). HURIWA maintains that the alleged killing of the ESN members has rendered the citizens of the South East zone vulnerable and defenseless in the face of alleged attacks by suspected armed Fulani marauders.
HURIWA, in the group's statement on Monday, September 20, 2021, condemned the alleged intractable kidnapping of the students of the Abia State University by attackers presumed to be armed Fulani, stating that the alleged bandits “...are very likely to be taking refuge in a community at the Enugu/Okigwe Federal High Way which has become the hotbed of insurgents and a killing field of citizens of Southeastern parts of the nation”.
HURIWA also accused the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, and the military formations in Owerri, Imo state capital, and Anambra State of combining forces to hunt down members of the vigilante group known as the Eastern Security Network (ESN), which, according to the NGO, was set up by concerned youth of the southeast zone.
“Now that these vigilante members are killed and disempowered, the dreaded armed Fulani militia have returned to work in the different parts of the South Eastern region, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping Students and the latest being the abduction of students of the Abia State University in Uturu near Okigwe which occurred a few days ago.
“The incident is not the first nor is it the second time but yet the entire military forces that were mobilized to exterminate the ESN have conveniently gone to bed whilst these evil people are back at work of terrorism in Igbo heartland", the group said.
HURIWA, therefore, called on the state governments in Nigeria's South East region to wake up to their responsibilities to the Igbo electorates by providing arms to their various indigenous vigilance security outfits to go after the suspected armed Fulani attackers who are alleged to be killing the people of the Igbo-speaking South East. NNL.