Civil society organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has asked the governors of the South East to lobby President Muhammadu Buhari to lift the terrorism tag on the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) so the Federal Government can tap on their extensive grassroots knowledge and popularity to uncover the characters masquerading as unknown gun-men bombarding security institutions.

This is even as the rights group asked the Federal Government to look inwards and fish out suspected members of the deep state who may be the masterminds of the sporadic attacks in the South East targeting strategic national security assets.

The group said since government has consistently displayed open biasness/favouritism towards armed Fulani herdsmen who are also attacking farming communities, it will be difficult for the citizens to volunteer intelligence since the federal government is largely seen as pro-armed Fulani herdsmen.

“We think that external forces are behind these attacks in the South East. The Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and the governor of Imo State have been quoted in the media as also exonerating either IPOB or ESN. What is the best way out is for the President to remove the blanket declaration of terrorism imposed on IPOB and then adopt law-based methodology of dialogue to bring the agitators of self-determination to a round table so their agitations are logically debated and an acceptable decision reached democratically since agitation for self-determination is supported by International Human Rights Law and particularly the international covenant on civil and political rights article 1.

“By virtue of that right, they (IPOB) freely determined their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

“(Besides), IPOB says it is against armed struggle. This could be interpreted to be that they are open to constructive debates. The unilateral decision by President Buhari to obtain an exparte order from the Abuja Chief Judge in his Chambers without right to fair hearing to members of IPOB, makes their classification untenable and unconstitutional.”

HURIWA, which condemned the attacks on the police formations in Abia and Anambra states on Monday and the killings of civilians, said the Federal Government will gain more if it adopts a less hardline approach towards such self-determination groups such as IPOB amongst others including the Sunday Igboho-led Yoruba self determination agitators even as the rights group said if the central government officials are not part of the masterminds of the ongoing attacks by unknown gun-men, then what government should do is to unmake the erroneous declaration of IPOB as a terrorist group so everyone that is respected in the South East are mobilized to unravel the exact characters who are behind all these attacks against the police in the region.

HURIWA deplores the reported bombardments that happened earlier in the day as it was reported that suspected hoodlums bombed Zone 13 Police headquarters in Ukpo, Anambra state with no less than four vehicles burnt. The development, as learnt, has heightened tension across the State.

The civil rights advocacy group also expressed unhappiness with the state of insecurity going by the report that gunmen have reportedly attacked and razed down a police station in Uzoakoli, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State in the early hours of Monday.

The rights group said the fact that these unknown gunmen are having unfettered movements shows that there is more to it than meets the eyes which is why IPOB and all other stakeholders should be brought on board to restore peace and orderliness.

HURIWA stated: "We hope that our conclusions that external forces especially members of the deep state are behind these unwarranted attacks against security institutions based on the South East of Nigeria will turn out to be untrue.

"However, the central government has given us every reason to suspect that some of their officials are the masterminds of these attacks so they can destroy the economic stability of the South East and as a pay back for the apparent popularity that the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra has become in the South East.

"Let there be free atmosphere of constructive debates between agitators for self-determination and those of us who believe in one Nigeria so ultimately, we will all agree to restructure Nigeria for greater harmony and inter-ethnic peace because there is no gain in war and the only person who escapes the consequences of war is the man in the grave," HURIWA said.

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