A Pro-democracy and Environmental Rights Advocacy group, FENRAD, based in Abia State, has called on Governor Alex Otti to intervene and end the ongoing attacks on military checkpoints in the state. The group also warned against incidents of torture, illegal mass arrests, unlawful detention, home and hotel invasions, and enforced disappearances allegedly carried out by the military.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, has been under siege by soldiers in reprisal attacks following the murder of five military personnel at Obikabia junction in Aba, Obingwa LGA, on Thursday, May 30th, 2024.

In a statement on Wednesday, Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director, and Femisi Akande, Head of Corporate Accountability and Human Rights Enforcement at FENRAD, noted that there have been several coordinated attacks and murders targeting military personnel at various posts in recent months.

FENRAD alerted the state to these incidents and called for improved civil-military relations, better intelligence gathering, and the deployment of street cameras and CCTV at all military posts in the state.

The statement reads in part: “The latest and most lamentable of these attacks was the one at Obikabia, whose aftermath resulted in panic, stampede, injuries, disinformation, breach of the peace, reprisal, and near-collapse of lawfully constituted authority.

“As stated earlier, there is no justification whatsoever for the incident of May 30. The Foundation, once again, calls for improvement in intelligence to preempt and ward off any likely future occurrence, as it sends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the slain soldiers who died on active service, the Nigeria Army, and the entire security community in the nation.

“While the Foundation condemns the killing of these innocent soldiers and supports any lawful initiative capable of bringing the perpetrators to justice, it also frowns upon the incidents of torture, illegal mass arrests, unlawful detention, home and hotel invasions, and enforced disappearances allegedly carried out by the military.

“The Punch online of June 1, 2024, painted a gory picture using the story of Rose Agwu, a medical doctor who was on a night shift when her house in the Obikabia axis was invaded by the military, with her siblings, including a 15-year-old, taken to an unknown destination by personnel of the Nigeria Army.

“Hotels and guest houses within the coordinates of Obikabia, the crime scene, were also invaded, with residents and guests allegedly disappearing.

“FENRAD witnessed the forced closure of markets in Aba, such as Ahịaọhụrụ, Cemetery Market, Ariaria International Market, and others, though calm is gradually returning now.

“All through last weekend, Aba was under a belligerent occupation, even aerially. While justice for the slain soldiers is essential, key, and paramount, an overkill is outright wrong, as is any counter-value military operation. Even in the law of war, there are rules of engagement and the notion of proportionality.

“The Foundation, therefore, calls on the military top brass to ensure that rules of engagement are adhered to.

“The Foundation also calls on Governor Alex Otti to ensure that calm returns to the state in the coming days, as insecurity or heavy military action could drive divestment.”