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Much ado over APC’s directive to lawmakers

Since February last year, Rivers State has been on the edge. Opposition rallies have become taboo. Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Itse Sagay believes that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, would not have been harassing opposition elements if he does not have the backing of the powers-that-be. Last Saturday’s rally by the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) held in Bori, the headquatres of Ogoniland, Rivers State was the first time in a long while that the opposition had a smooth rally. An attempt to do the rally six days earlier left many injured; and vehicles were destroyed.

Yet, irrespective of their party leaning, Nigerians, who wish to stage a peaceful protest, must be able to do so without molestation.

When about 13,000 teachers were supposed to receive their certificates and letters of employment at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, they were dispersed by the police with tear gas. On other occasions, ex-militants disrupted peaceful rallies in the state. On an occasion, the police prevented the governor from accessing his house, insisting that he must pass through a particular road. Things became worst when Governor Rotimi Amaechi joined the APC. Senator Magnus Abe was shot at a rally and is still recuperating in London.

It got so bad that Amaechi wrote the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and used other means to lodge complaints. But deaf ears were turned to his plea.

The impunity in Rivers made the Senate last Wednesday ask the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, to appear before it to give a situation report. Both arms of the National Assembly have condemned the recurring crisis in the state.

Sagay told The Nation yesterday: “The Federal Government is obviously sponsoring what is happening in Rivers. Mbu will not be doing what he is doing if his backers are not at the top. His directive is to frustrate the Rivers governor and his masters.”

Angered by the ‘madness’ in Rivers, the APC instructed all its members in the National Assembly to block all executive bills, including the 2014 Appropriation Bill.

The party said: “In view of the joint resolutions of the National Assembly on Rivers State, and other constitutional breaches by the Presidency, the APC hereby directs its members in the National Assembly to block all legislative proposals, including the 2014 budget and confirmation of all nominees to military and civilian positions to public office, until the rule of law and constitutionalism is restored in Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria in general.”

The PDP flayed the directive, accusing the APC of being anti-people. The chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dan Nwanyanwu, also toed the PDP line, accusing the leading opposition party of wanting to foist hardship on the people. Sagay said the APC decision is just like a balance of terror. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday said there was nothing anti-people about the directive. Fashola cited instances where PDP members in the National Assembly have blocked some legislative proposals, such as the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The governor said the APC lawmakers “have found as a legitimate weapon, the withdrawal of cooperation from the executive in order to bring a belligerent executive back on to the negotiation table because as they say themselves, nobody can claim ownership of Nigeria.

“Therefore, where appeals and letters fail, the legitimate tool is the use of the power of cooperation or the withdrawal of cooperation.

He explained that in a democratic process “where the party in power in majority has full legislative majority, this has been a weapon that the parliament has employed”.

Fashola said the PIB Bill had been stalled in the National Assembly for over three years as well as the refusal to approve appropriation for the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) saying that no voices were raised in those situations.

“Have you asked yourselves why? That was an example of withdrawal of cooperation. The same party in the majority returned the budget and you know how the budget finally came back to the National Assembly, that was an example of withdrawal of legislative cooperation. The same party with the majority last year said it was not going to approve appropriation for the Security and Exchange Commission, a constitutional empowered and created body because they were disagreeable with its leadership.”

Analysts believe that the fruit of APC’s threat is already being felt. They say if not for the decision of the party, the Bori rally would have been disrupted by either the police or political thugs. They faulted the anti-people label being hanged on the party, citing instances where opposition in advanced democracies have blocked legislative proposals.

The Republicans in the U.S. blocked some moves of President Barack Obama. The Obamacare is one. The Republicans went to great extent to stop, arguing that it is all part of democracy. The Republicans saw in Obama’s Affordable Care Act the single most unifying issue. Rank-and-file Republicans, especially those who are aligned with the Tea Party movement, despised the new health-care law. They devised strategies to delay, defund or in some other way disrupt the imminent implementation of the legislation.

In Canada’s parliamentary system, the basic function of the opposition is to oppose the government on a day-to-day basis. In this role, the opposition takes on an adversarial role. This includes routinely criticising government legislation and actions, as well as providing the Canadian public with alternative policies. In some cases, the opposition may even organise to bring down the government, by voting against key pieces of government legislation, including the annual budget .

Mohammed said the party sought to shut down government so that the government would not shut down the country. (See box)

He said the step would not hurt the people. “Government is about people, if there is no peace and stability, what is happening in Rivers State might escalate to other states. And if that is the case, what will be the importance of any budget? So, why are we putting the budget over and above the life of the average citizen in Rivers State? People called to tell us that our position is ante-people but we say no. Any government that does not believe in fairness, justice and equity is anti-people. Any government that cannot protect its entire people is anti-people. Any government that does not respect the rule of law is anti-people. So, what we are doing is a patriotic service to Nigeria,” he said.

The party said once the President stops what is happening in Rivers State there will be no reason to filibuster.

January 28, 2014
How to end insecurity, by NHRC chief, others

Security and rights advocacy experts yesterday proffered solutions to the socio-economic and security crises.

Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof Chidi Odinkalu; NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Prof Bem Angwe; former Police Commissioner Frank Odita and rights activist, Ms Abi Baiyewu, said there would be peace in Nigeria, if governments emphasise the interest of the people.

They said the approach to governance and security management, which de-emphasises the people, would fuel disenchantment and escalate insecurity.

They spoke in Abuja at a “stakeholders workshop on designing a workable model for security and human rights in the Nigerian extractive industry,” organised by the NHRC and a group, Global Rights.

Odinkalu said the approach to governance, which emphasises frivolities, “has to change fundamentally because it is not sustainable.”

To change it, he said, the nation’s law should be reviewed and only “people who care about the people should be appointed in positions of authority.”

The NHRC chief regretted that despite the extractive industry funding the greater percentage of the nation’s budget, no one in government, including the Petroleum minister, possessed accurate data on the operations of the petroleum industry.

He said: “The extractive industry funds almost all our budgets. Yet, we do not know how much we earn; we do not know what we extract. This is dangerous.”

Odinkalu also blamed the nation’s inability to take control of the extractive industry because the sector still operates on archaic laws.

He noted that with the disposition of the government to developments in the oil sector, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) may never be passed into law.

The NHRC chairman also suggested the urgent review of the Police Act and other security-related laws to reform the nation’s security agencies.

Odita said insecurity resulted from government’s unwillingness to tackle people’s welfare and security personnel.

He faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s decision to legitimise the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), arguing that the former president “legalised illegality by creating two police forces against the provision of the Constitution.”

The former police chief also faulted the use of supernumerary police personnel (SPY) for the security of oil companies.

He said the practice should be stopped and replaced with a special police command.

Odita noted that the government’s policy of contracting the protection of oil pipelines to some groups and companies was wrong. He said indigenes should protect oil installations in their communities.

Angwe argued that “even while the transnational corporations and other business enterprises pursue their legitimate business objectives in the extractive industry, it is to be done within the ambit of a corporate social responsibility”.

The NHRC secretary stressed the need for operators in the sector to protect the environment and human rights “with a clear chart towards achieving sustainable development of the mother communities, as envisaged by Section 16 of the Constitution”.

Miss Baiyewu said the workshop was to ensure a synergy between the interests of companies operating in the extractive industry and their host communities.

“Our extractive sector has been highly volatile and is tainted with human rights violations. Thousands have died, businesses have been shut down. The safety of life and property compromised. Communities need to survive – so do companies.

“Communities want peace – so do companies. Companies want security – so do communities. Needless to say, the Nigerian government has – possibly, the greatest state in all of this. It needs communities to thrive and business to expand,” Ms Baiyewu said.

January 17, 2014
NHRC to meet today over Rivers crisis

The Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will today meet in Abuja to review the escalating crisis in Rivers State.

Senator Magnus Abe was shot by the police at a rally venue.

The meeting will also consider the request by the Federal Government to investigate the allegation raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that President Goodluck Jonathan was training snipers and had placed 1,000 people on a watch list.

The Governing Council will also take a look at the bill against same sex marriage recently signed into law by President Jonathan.

The meeting will discuss modalities and parameters under which to proceed with President Jonathan’s request.

January 15, 2014
Apo killings: Victims want N500m compensation

Victims of the September 20, 2013 killings in Apo, Abuja, have demanded for N500million compensation from the Federal Government.

The Chairman, Governing Board of National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, made this known on Wednesday at the public hearing organised by the commission.

Odinkalu said the demand was made by National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria on behalf of the victims in the course of the commission’s investigation.

The chairman sought to know from the State Security Service (SSS) if it was ready to pay compensation to victims.

Responding, Counsel to SSS, Mr. Charles Osagie, said SSS had no problem compensating victims.

He, however, said that it would depend on the verification that victims were innocent and that they were hit by bullet from security operatives.

“We need to first ascertain and determine whether those people who were killed were actually innocent individuals. That is the first step.

“Until you reach that conclusion, you cannot be talking about compensation or damages, and on the very day of the operation even after the shooting was over we did make some arrests.

“So, it is difficult for anybody to be conclusive until a thorough investigation is carried out.

“It is also necessary to ascertain the culpability of the individuals that died at the incident to determine their link to Suleiman, who is at large,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the counsel as saying at the hearing.

He said it was difficult to ascertain if victims were innocent, given the manner in which they were buried.

He also said the institution would only take responsibility when it could be ascertained that victims were killed by bullet from security operatives.

January 9, 2014
How we planned to attack Abuja, by 16-year old Boko Haram suspect

A suspected Boko Haram member, Mohammed Adamu (also known as Engineer), gave details yesterday of plans by members of the group to attack Abuja late last year.

Adamu, 16, currently being held by the Department of State Security (DSS) was arrested with two others in Abuja last September. Information got from them led security operatives to invade an uncompleted building on September 20 in Gudu, Apo area, Abuja in which no fewer than eight squatters were shot dead.

Adamu testified yesterday at the public hearing being conducted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the September 20 killings.

The suspect, who spoke in Hausa, was assisted by an interpreter.

He admitted holding nocturnal meetings with 12 others in the uncompleted building at Gudu, near Apo with the intention to launch attacks against government’s interests in their determination to defend Islam.

Adamu, who hails from Katsina State, said he worked as a commercial tricycle (Keke NAPEP) rider. He said he met Suleiman (R Kelly ) who introduced him into the sect.

“Within the period, Suleiman told me of a meeting they attended in the uncompleted building and asked me whether I was interested in joining them, but I told him to give me a day to think over it.

“A day after, I told him I was interested. Later, Suleiman warned me not to tell anybody, threatening to deal with me if I did so. Because of that, I became afraid.

“At the meeting, we said we are defending our religion through war, using guns and other weapons. We agreed and wanted to fight with the government; we were holding discussions on ways and manner to carry out the operation.

“We usually converged by 8pm and left by 11pm. Honestly, no policeman ever accosted us” Adamu testified.

“One day, Suleiman came back with a bag and I enquired what was inside, he opened it and showed me four AK 47 rifles and a pistol.

“I was the youngest in the group and Suleiman is a middle-aged man. On the day of the incident, I led the security operatives to arrest Suleiman and other members around midnight.

“On arrival at the uncompleted building, while the security people approached the building, some people inside the building started shooting at us and I was instructed to lie down by the SSS official.

“Soldiers then returned fire. I saw Suleiman and the others digging out guns where they buried them in front of the building,” Adamu said.

He also said Suleiman is also from Katsina state, but denied knowing his whereabouts at the moment.

He denied being compelled to indict himself and other members of the sect. “Nobody has told me what to say, Allah is my witness. What I said, is to the best of my knowledge.”

He also explained how he was arrested.

“Suleiman gave me a SIM card with an instruction that I should not use the line anyhow. He told me to always put the SIM on around 8pm.

“I was at a mosque when the SSS operatives came, with the help of a machine, when it was my turn, they found the SIM in my phone and that was how I was arrested and taken to the SSS office.”

Another witness, Mallam Gambo Idris, one of the surviving occupants of the building confirmed knowing Adamu as a Keke NAPEP rider.

He denied knowledge of any meeting. Adamu identified Gambo as one of the squatters in the building.

The Nigeria Army told the commission last month that the attack on the uncompleted building was informed by information it got from the DSS of a planned attack on Abuja by Boko Haram.

An official of the DSS, whose name was not mentioned (for security reasons) told the commission that Adamu was among the three Boko Haram suspects arrested on September 18, last year, at Garki 2 near a Mosque before they were brought to the DSS office for interview.

Hearing continues today.

January 8, 2014
Rivers: Lloyd drags Police, Mbu to Rights Commission

•Wants to be released forthwith

The detained Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), protesting his arrest for alleged murder by the police.

He is accusing the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu; the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmad Muhammad, DSP; and the Police Command of unlawful arrest, detention, intimidation, arbitrary and excessive use of police powers.

He asks to be released forthwith.

Lloyd whose petition was written by his lawyer, Ken Atsuwete, was arrested by the police on Thursday for what they called double murder.

They accused him of running his car over Police Sergeant Urang Obediah and one Kingsley Ejeuo in Port Harcourt.

Lloyd in his petition said he was only a passenger in the car which was involved in an accident “along the Emuoha Council Secretariat axis of the East-West Road, occasioned by an illegal road block or check point mounted by the some policemen from the Rivers State Police Command.”

He said one of the policemen, Sergeant Urang Obediah, died shortly thereafter, with one Kingsley Ejeuo as a result of the impact from the collusion.

His lawyer said: “The driver (now detained) of the said vehicle promptly handed himself over to the police, while Hon. Lloyd proceeded to the hospital somewhere in Port Harcourt for treatment between the 31st of December 2013 and 1st of January 2014, when he was discharged and he proceeded to his house in Port Harcourt, for continued treatment under strict medical instructions from his doctor.

“Hon. Chidi Lloyd was in his house until the 2nd day of January, when he described the whereabouts of his residence to the officers and men of the Rivers State Police Command, who had made enquiries through telephone as to the location of our client. Lloyd was at home with his wife, relatives and one of his lawyers, Emenike Ebete, when senior officers from the said police command came in to effect an arrest, without stating the reason for the arrest.

“As a law abiding Nigerian, our client allowed himself to be whisked away in an unmarked police vehicle, without the least explanation as to why his house was invaded by a huge number of policemen, who came armed to the teeth, in a commando and extremely intimidating style.

“The pandemonium caused by such harassing and intimidating attack on his peaceful home has now left a stigma and palpable fear in his wife, children and entire household. Hon. Lloyd has been in detention at command since then, without being arraigned or released by the said police command.”

Lloyd said his continued detention is a violation of his “freedom of movement, right to private and family life and all other attendant inalienable rights of the said client, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights” by the police “under the unlawful and arbitrary orders of Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, who is now a law unto himself in Rivers State.”

He accused the police of malicious distortion of the circumstances surrounding Lloyd’s arrest and of continued harassment “by manufacturing defaming facts against Hon. Lloyd, who was clearly painted as a convicted man on the run, who was apprehended by the police, while he was attempting an escape.”

He added:”This is an act of criminal defamation of character, deliberately employed by the Rivers State Police Command, under the watch of Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu. The aim is to degrade and treat Hon Chidi Lloyd in a way that is not human and humane, in clear contrast to our client’s constitutional right not to be treated in a degrading and inhuman manner.”

“Witnesses like the man who drove the car in question have given useful statements to the same command, which clearly indicated Hon. Lloyd was not the one who drove the car. In the event that this driver, who has confessed that he drove the car when the accident occurred, is charged, common knowledge of the law is a pointer that he could only be charged for reckless driving and manslaughter and not murder or double murder as maliciously published against Hon. Lloyd by the Rivers State Police Command and its commissioner, who have unlawfully held him under such misguided and unconscionable impression, without the least effort or likelihood that he will be released any time soon.”

He asked to be released on bail forthwith to enable him return home “for medication, while your commission wades into the matter now, with a view to arriving at a decision that perfects the enforcement of our client’s inalienable rights as safeguarded and guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Laws of the Federation 2004 and the indeed the Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.”

The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday in Port Harcourt, declared that the Rivers police command lied on Thursday’s arrest of Lloyd, while the House’s leader also described Mbu as a liar, in his desperation to destroy his political career, through the murder allegation.

January 5, 2014
Snipers: Jonathan reports Obasanjo to Rights Panel

Presidency seeks probe of allegations

The Presidency has taken its case against ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

It asked the commission to investigate the allegation of keeping over 1,000 people on a political watch list and training snipers.

Jonathan made the demand in a letter to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof Bem Angwe.

A source in the commission, who confirmed the receipt of the December 23, 2013 letter, said Obasanjo may be invited for interaction on his allegation.

The Presidency asked the NHRC to “investigate the allegations bothering on the human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the letter dated 2nd December 2013, written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR) to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) attached to the memorandum under reference.

“In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of competence, particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being investigated by appropriate agencies of government.”

The letter cited two offensive paragraphs in Obasanjo’s letter for investigation by the NHRC.

The paragraphs are:

“Allegation of keeping over 1,000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. Here again, there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them. And no one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone. The Yoruba adage says, ‘The man with whose head the coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit’. Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is permissive of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lesson.

“Presidential assistance for a murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation to welcome him home can only be in bad taste generally, but particularly to the family of his victim. Assisting criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the Presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do for you what he had done for Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learned his lesson. Let us continue to watch.”

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) in a memo to the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Bem Angwe, dated, December 23 to which he attached a copy of Obasanjo’s letter, directed Angwe to investigate allegations relating to human rights violations.

Specifically, Adoke requested Angwe to investigate allegations bothering on the human rights violations contained in pages 9 and 10 of the letter by ex-President Obasanjo.

The memo marked: HAGF/NHRC2013/Vol2/5, titled: “Re: Before it is to late,” a copy of which The Nation sighted yesterday, reads: “May I draw your attention to the above and the attached State House Memorandum dated December 23rd 2013 in respect of the above subject matter.

“I am to request you to investigate the allegations bothering on the human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the latter dated December 2, 2013, written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR attached to the memorandum under reference.

“In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of competence particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being investigated by appropriate agencies of government, I have decided to reproduce the relevant paragraphs below,” Adoke said.

A source in the NHRC said: “We have received the letter and a memorandum attached to it. With the issues raised in the letter, we may invite ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo for interaction.

“The question of being on political watch list raises some human rights issues. What I can assure you of is that we will be fair to all sides.”

Responding to a question, the source said the demand of the Presidency was within the mandate of the NHRC.

He cited Section 5(b) of the 2010 (Amendment Act) of the commission.

The section reads in part: The Commission shall- (a) deal with all matters relating to the protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other International Treaties on human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory;

“(b) monitor and investigate all alleged cases of human rights violation in Nigeria and make appropriate recommendation to the President for the prosecution and such other actions as it may deem expedient in each circumstance;

“(c) assist victims of human rights violation and seek appropriate redress and remedies on their behalf…”

December 25, 2013
‘Boko Haram buried weapons in Apo cemetery’

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, has said the Army has information that some arms and ammunition were buried in the Apo Cemetery, Abuja, by some Boko Haram members.

He said the Army had been unable to locate where they were hidden because the person who hid the weapons was on the run.

Gen Ihejirika said the weapons were to be used in an attack on Abuja by the sect earlier this year.

The Army Chief spoke yesterday at a public hearing by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the September 20 killing of eight residents at an uncompleted building in Apo.

Security personnel had invaded the house, said to be inhabited by about 100 people, on the claim that the inhabitants were Boko Haram members.

Gen Ihejirika, who was represented by the Commander, Brigade of Guards, Maj Gen Emmanuel Atewe, justified the invasion of the house.

He said the operation in Apo was informed by a report from the Department of State Security (DSS), alleging an attack by members of the Boko Haram.

“Between September 18 and 19, two persons were arrested in Abuja and they made useful confessions that there was a cache of arms hidden at Apo Cemetery to be used in a planned attack,” he said.

The Army chief said upon the confession of the suspects, his men went to the cemetery in search of the weapons.

“It was in the night, the area was bushy and we could not navigate the cemetery and the suspects could not identify the actual spot where the weapons were buried.

“It was at that point the suspects said their leader, one Suleiman, if arrested would show us the spot where the ammunition were hidden,” he said.

Gen Atewe, who failed to name the “two suspects,” said they told security agents that Suleiman was living in the Apo uncompleted building. He said they (the suspects) also disclosed that their intention was to launch attacks within Abuja.

“It was on that premise that the team moved to the uncompleted building to arrest Suleiman. But unfortunately, as troops were to cordon the building, the fire came, first it was a single shot before rapid followed. Under self defence, the troops returned fire,” he said.

“The military operating in FCT are well trained in handling arms and have exercised restraint in the discharge of their duties. We have no reason to kill anybody dastardly or act under provocation.

“The adversaries did firearm movement, they were firing as they escaped, a loaded magazine was found and from our records, it does not belong to the military,” he said.

Gen Atewe stated that the Apo incident was an isolated case and an unfortunate one.

He insisted that the security agents acted proactively to prevent collateral damage that may have resulted from an attack in Abuja.

He said despite their efforts, Suleiman was still at large and the cache of arms at the Apo cemetery still undiscovered.

“We have carried out 153 operations successfully, made arrests and did not shoot anybody.

The NHRC yesterday granted an application by the DSS to have its officials testify in its headquarters to protect their identities.

DSS’s lawyer Clifford Osagie and other officials of the service cited security reasons for the application to have the panel move its sitting venue from the NHRC’s Abuja office to DSS’ headquarters.

The panel will resume sitting next month.

December 24, 2013
‘Resolve Taraba crisis’

A group, the Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC), has warned that the unfolding political development in Taraba State will lead to anarchy, if not resolved.

NHRC Coordinator Samuel Olorunwa said the people have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy since Governor Danbaba Suntai was involved in an accident.

He said: “We are worried that the Inspector General of Police has not investigated a forged letter to the House of Assembly, which was said to have been written and signed by Governor Suntai.

“We, in the human rights community, call on the IGP to inform the public on who wrote the letter.”

November 26, 2013
‘Resolve Taraba crisis’

A group, the Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC), has warned that the unfolding political development in Taraba State will lead to anarchy, if not resolved.

NHRC Coordinator Samuel Olorunwa said the people have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy since Governor Danbaba Suntai was involved in an accident.

He said: “We are worried that the Inspector General of Police has not investigated a forged letter to the House of Assembly, which was said to have been written and signed by Governor Suntai.

“We, in the human rights community, call on the IGP to inform the public on who wrote the letter.”

November 26, 2013