The House of Representatives has condemned the massacre of unarmed civilians in South Eastern Nigeria by security operatives in its plenary session of Thursday, 2nd June after Hon. Chukwuka Onyema (PDP:Imo) moved a motion attributing the extra judicial killings to the excessive use of force by security operatives.
Hon. Chukwuka Onyema (PDP:Imo) also explained that the rights to freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly were cardinal to the survival of democracy and that excessive force by security operatives in a civilian protest often creates a tensed environment for innocent protesters. He also called for a review of the crisis and an effective mechanism of engagement between security operatives and aggrieved civilians. In this regard, the Federal Government was urged to develop a strategic plan on dispersing aggrieved citizens.
It will be recalled that the Nigerian military was accused of high handedness on Monday, 31st May 2016 after it was alleged to have massacred and inflicted injury on several members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB; who claim to be fighting for a sovereign Biafra State.
The motion has been referred to the House Committees on Human Rights, National Security and Intelligence who are expected to make further investigations on the matter and report its findings in two weeks.
