"How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? " ( Bob Marley)
Missing in action just now, and we can surmise what he would be saying : Fela Kuti !
It's incomprehensible, continues to be so, except for the psychiatrists who can diagnose "the method in the madness". For the rest of us concerned onlookers, it would seem that step by step the current powers that be in Nigeria are playing by the devil's book, whereby, when it comes to security in the various regions, a long-suffering, exasperated nation should have no choice other than recourse to creating their own autonomous self-defence units to protect their own lives and property , in the absence of the federal government apparent being unwilling and unable to perform this their basic duty, thus signalling an unassailable reason for the tentative stage two of the impending separation.
As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King said in his time, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Hopefully, just as Nzuko Umunna has expressed their disgust about what's happening to their Yoruba Brothers and fellow Nigerians by this perfidy that's being overseen by Nigeria's Commander-in-Chief Muhammadu Buhari , so too it is to be expected that in a spirit of solidarity, e.g. the Southern Governors/ States should be consistently expressing similar support for their Brethren in the East, in the South and wherever else this kind of atrocity-with- impunity is being committed by Nigeria's current powers-that-be headed by President Buhari.
At this crucial moment in the nation's history and in the name of Human Rights and Justice can the likes of Professor Ayo Olukotun , Ojogbon Falola himself, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani,Jibrin Ibrahim , the various pastors, Muslim religious leaders and some of the keyboard jihadists go a notch further in responsible activism?
Of relevance about the "single garment of destiny" a Ted Talk by Obiora Ike
IGBOHO: 'WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH YORUBA NATION' - NZUKO UMUNNA
Nzuko Umunna is deeply concerned about the attack by a joint team of security operatives on the Ibadan residence of foremost Yoruba rights activist, Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho.
It is even more worrisome that the State Security Service/Department of State Services (DSS) has admitted that its operatives "raided" Igboho's residence and "gunned down" two persons "while the rest were subdued and arrested."
Nzuko Umunna observes with deep concern that 'sting operations' by Nigeria's security agencies has become synonymous with predictable bloodletting, contrary to similar operations in other climes. We recall the raid on the Afara-Ukwu home of Leader of the Indigineous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the more recent attack on the residence of his lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor. The seeming impunity and lack of accountability for these killings by security operatives may have emboldened this unacceptable breach of globally accepted rules of engagement. This must stop! The Department of State Services must operate within the ambit of Nigeria's Constitution and laws, moreso as the Service admits that no-one or entity can be above the law.
We expect the Department of State Services to conduct a thorough investigation on cases before briefing Nigerians and other stakeholders on its operations. Its position must be based on hard facts rather than mere suspicions as to the source of the fire arms allegedly found in Chief Igboho's house. More importantly, the Department of State Services must shun media trial.
The events of the last few days are grave and troubling, and can only worsen the heightened socio-political barometer of the polity. We totally deplore the seeming onslaught on rights activists and regional agitators. This feeds into the worrisome but widespread view that there is a deliberate attack on progressive elements in order to further shrink the civic space. Nzuko Umunna is highly worried by this situation, and urges the Federal Government to immediately pull back its agents from this state of affairs.
Nzuko Umunna stands in solidarity now and at all times with all rights activists and especially the Yoruba Nation in their quest for justice and equity.
SIGNED
Mr. Ngozi Odumuko
Executive Secretary
Mr. Paschal Mbanefo
Executive Council
ABOUT NZUKO UMUNNA
Nzuko Umunna is an influential pan-Igbo think-tank comprising of the leading lights of the Igbo Nation in Nigeria and the diaspora.
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