Group wants Buhari impeached over IPOD killings, Dasuki, El-Zakzaky

Rights activists under the aegis of Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre (HRDAC), on Thursday, stormed the Lagos state House of Assembly protesting what it described as the federal government’s abuse of the citizens’ human rights. It called on the Senate to commence impeachment process against President Muhammadu Buhari for the alleged constitutional infraction.
The group also demanded the release of all detainees, including the leader of the Shi’ites, El-Zak Zaki and former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who is currently embroiled in an alleged $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal.

The group, in a petition addressed to the Senate president, but handed over to the Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, for onward transmission to the Senate, demanded for the immediate release of the detained Shi’ite leader, El-Zak Zakky, the former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Dasuki and Umar Mohammed as well as the prosecution of the Nigeria security operatives responsible for the killing of members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOD) and Shi’ites protesters.

In the petition signed by the President of HRDAC, Comrade Queen Rose Ameh, the group said it is worrisome that security operatives in the country under democratically elected government will be on rampage, killing unarmed Nigerians without caution while the lawmakers remained silent over this.

“The brutality has been wanton, even our colonial masters never went on rampage to kill our citizens in this magnitude when we were fighting for independence, the security operatives killed more than 1,000 Shiites and 300 pro-Biafra protesters. It is unheard of to kill unarmed people in this magnitude.”

The group also alleged that of recent, there was protest against the president-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and the protesters were not killed. But in Nigeria, because the Chief of Army Staff was blocked from passing through, the Nigeria army had to regroup to go and kill people in their houses as if they were not Nigerians, stating that even in wars, there is rule of engagement but surprisingly, Nigerian lawmakers kept silent, as if they don’t know their responsibility.

“During the Jonathan era, if you could remember, this same security operatives ambushed the National Assembly and stopped lawmakers from accessing their offices. If you don’t do anything to stop these excesses, it will soon be your turn. An injustice to one anywhere is an injustice everywhere,” they said.

HRDAC condemned the continuous detention of El-Zak Zakky, Dasuki, Umar Mohammed and demanded for their immediate release, adding that the constitution states that personal liberty should not be breached for more than 48 hours without being charged to court. “But all these people have been in detention going to a year now. This is the constitution that you are a product of and swear to uphold.”

The group stated that the offence is an impeachable one against the President, and therefore called on the Senate to commence the process of impeachment against him.

“This is an impeachable offence against Mr. President, which we believe under the check and balance system, you should proceed to impeach Mr. President. We shall be giving you one week to accede to our demand, failure to, we shall be staging continuous protests to the National Assembly until our demands are met,” the group threatened.

Responding on behalf of the Speaker of the Assembly, House committee chairman on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petition, Funmilayo Tejuoso, assured the protesters that the Assembly will forward their petition to the National Assembly and urged the legislators there to look into their grievances.

She also thanked the group for having confidence in the Assembly and coming peacefully to present their case.