A Civil Society Group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Tuesday January 14, 2025, demanded the payment of N100 billion as compensation to each of the South-east States for the serial economic damages inflicted on the region by insecurity.
This is just as it called for the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, to halt the spate of criminal activities and security challenges besetting the geo-political Zone.
In a statement issued by its National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group similarly, asked the Federal Government to pay Kanu the sum of N100 billion to compensate for what it described as his illegal detention and dehumanization.
According to HURIWA, each of the five States of the South-east – Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Imo – should be paid one hundred billion naira for the collective and separate economic devastations and losses wrought by wanton destructions, arson, mindless killings and general violence that have trailed the orchestrated insecurity in the region.
It is of the view that the economic growth and development of the South-east, has been negatively impacted since the outbreak of violence and other criminal activities mainly due to the arrest, detention and trial of the IPOB leader.
The Source reports that Mazi Kanu was, in 202, arrested in Kenya by the agents of the Federal Government, and since then has been facing an endless trial at the courts.
His continued detention has tended to serve as a launch pad for some forces to unleash mayhem on unsuspecting residents of the region.
The human rights organization expressed serious concern for the Federal Government’s disregard for several local court-rulings, as well as calls by many international bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Council for the unconditional release of the IPOB leader .
According to HURIWA , the arrest,detention and trial of Kanu, for the past 30 months is a gross and grave act of miscarriage of justice which, also, greatly undermines Nigeria’s democracy and rule of law .
The group insisted that the prolonged and illegal detention of Kanu by the Federal Government and its agencies is a serious stain on the democratic credentials and human rights track record of the Nigerian Government.
“We call for his immediate and unconditional release as directed by multiple court rulings and demand a public apology from the Federal Government alongside a N100 billion compensation for the dehumanization he has suffered .
“The economic bleeding of the South East zone, perpetuated by the unlawful arrests and detentions of hundreds of Igbo youth under the guise of belonging to IPOB ,has created a climate of fear and instability.
“This has deterred investments, stunted businesses and left millions of people struggling to survive.
“The Federal Government must compensate each of the five South East states with N100 billion to mitigate these economic losses and restore stability”, HURIWA stated
The rights group noted that the “detention of Kanu, heightened insecurity in the region, which in conjunction with Federal Government’s repressive measures, disrupted businesses, and education, resulting in serious loss of revenue, and rise in unemployment”
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
