Our Reporter

The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) has urged Nigerians to shun ethnic profiling of crime.

It said crime and criminality should be condemned irrespective of the ethnicity.

HURMA made the call on Sunday in a statement, ‘Threat to Peace in a failing state: a timely call for United front against insecurity’. 

It further demanded that the Minister of Defence, General Bashir Magashi (retired), apologise to Nigerians following his advice for them to defend themselves in the wake of rising insecurity.

Its Executive Director, Comrade Buns Olaitan Isiak; and Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Lekan Alabi also condemned the “unjustifiable killings, kidnappings, banditry, rape, inter and intra ethnic wars and other heinous crimes”, across the country.

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They said:  “Encouraging harmless citizens to take up battle against armed and well-sponsored elements, including by some political office holders with state resources, is a direct call to anarchy.

“We wish to hereby request immediate withdrawal of the Minister’s statement with public apology. We also wish to appeal to all pro-bandit elements both within the government and the people to please give peace chance to reign”.

HURMA also appealed to Nigerians not to use the nation’s insecurity state, as an option to turn against other citizens.

“The Nigerian people should please note that under no circumstance shall we consider the option of lawlessness by attacking unarmed fellow citizen on the basis of ethnicity or tribe.”

It further stated “very strongly that ethnic profiling of crime in the country should be outrightly condemned and crime and criminality should be comprehensively prosecuted wherever they may occur without ethnic or religious bias”.