Rights Abuses: Group Urges Buahri To Call Umahi To Order

A group, Worried Nigerian Citizens (WNC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call Ebonyi State governor David Umahi to order over incessant attacks on political opponents in the state.

According to the group, Buhari should immediately intervene over the trampling on the rule of law and democratic rights of Nigerians in the state.

In a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat Utako, Abuja by the convener of the group, Mr Moses Idika, WNC said the abduction of a former member of House of Representatives and Labour Party senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South in the forthcoming general election, Hon Linus Okorie is uncalled for, asking Buhari to intervene.

According to the group, the criminal abduction of Hon Okorie is just one in a series of  similar flagrant infringement on the fundamental rights of Ebonyi citizens and residents.

The group enumerated a compendium of attacks on the media and anyone perceived as being critical to Ebonyi State government, its policies and programmes.

“Just two days ago, the Labour Party (LP) Senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South (Gov. Umahi’s main opponent) ahead of the 2023 general election and a former ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon Linus Abba Okorie was brutally and violently abducted in broad daylight by a detachment of the Ebubeagu militia at Nnorom Street (close to the residence of the victim).

“Hon Linus since his abduction by agents of Ebonyi State government has remained incommunicado, his phones switched off, his car cannot be found. The government through the Onicha LGA chairman, Chidiebere Uzor has confirmed the abduction and is currently trying to frame him up as a drug peddler, ” the group said.

The group, therefore, called on all security agencies in Ebonyi State to swing into action, rescue Hon Linus Abba Okorie and arrest his abductors in order for the law to take its full course.

“That President Muhammadu Buhari should call Governor David Umahi to order to forestall the breakdown of law and order in Ebonyi State, ” the group said.