The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a Civil Society group, has criticized the Nigerian federal government for its perceived counterproductive approach to addressing insecurity in the Southeast geopolitical zone. Alongside this critique, RULAAC launched a comprehensive report detailing insecurity and widespread human rights violations by security forces in the region.
Titled “Unveiling the Roots of Insecurity, Healing the Wounds of Human Rights Violations in Southeast Nigeria: A Path Towards Peace, Open Democratic Space, and a Prosperous Future,” the report was presented on Wednesday in Enugu. Produced in partnership with the Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), the report aimed to provide an accurate portrayal of the nature, causes, patterns, and consequences of the government’s current strategy to combat insecurity in the Southeast.
During the report unveiling, Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Executive Director of RULAAC, highlighted the detrimental impact of the federal government’s forceful and narrow-minded approach to addressing insecurity in the region. He criticized the government’s failure to heed the concerns of Southeast residents and its reluctance to address the underlying issues genuinely.
Nwanguma emphasized that attributing insecurity solely to pro-Biafra agitation and insurgency oversimplifies the complex situation. He cited President Buhari’s past remarks about communicating with the people “in the language they understand” as indicative of the government’s unyielding stance.
At the event, chaired by Professor Okey Ibeanu, Regional Director for West Africa at the Ford Foundation, which provided financial support for the report, Chichi Aniagolu underscored the Southeast’s historical reputation for peace and called for urgent measures to address the deteriorating security situation. She stressed the foundation’s belief that peace and security are fundamental to development, motivating their decision to support the report.
Reviewing the report, Professor Emeritus Obasi Igwe lamented the loss of innocent lives in the Southeast due to insecurity, attributing the violence to both state and non-state actors. Igwe criticized former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of exacerbating the insecurity crisis and implicating every youth in the region. He alleged that the phenomenon of unknown gunmen was a consequence of policies enacted during Buhari’s administration.
