Buhari urged to probe killings in S/East

THE United Progressive Party (UPP) has urged the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to investigate all the unwarranted killings of Igbo men and women from the inception of the current administration, prosecute all those found culpable and compensate the families and relations of the victims.

It said security agencies must be ordered to stop shooting at unarmed, non-violent persons who are only exercising their inalienable right of freedom of association.

In a statement, UPP national chairman, Chekwas Okorie said that as a responsible, credible and patriotic opposition political party, UPP owed it as a responsibility to the Nigerian public to point out any danger to the corporate existence of Nigeria wherever and whenever it was perceived.

He decried the reported killings of jubilant persons during the inauguration of President Donald Trump allegedly by security forces.

Okorie described as unacceptable the situation where Boko Haram unleashing unprecedented mayhem on a section of the country resulting in loss of several thousands of lives, unquantifiable damage to property and other assets as well as displacement of millions of citizens will be extended hand of fellowship and promised protection and comfort if they surrendered while innocent unarmed and non-violent Igbo persons will be massacred in cold-blood and others hounded to prison, sometimes without trial, in other circumstances with trumped up charges.

He said, “It is in consideration of the spate of injustice, alienation, inequity, inequality, nepotism and abuse of state power that the United Progressive Party has resolved to convene its national convention in April 2017 to ratify its amended party manifesto, which incorporates provisions for restructuring of Nigeria, true federalism, devolution of power, fiscal federalism, state police/community policing, referendum, self-determination of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities, state pardon/release of prisoners and detainees whose offences were as a result of their political opinions and expressions.

“The new UPP manifesto shall be the social contract between our political party and the Nigerian people.

“Nigeria’s federating units must be allowed to develop at their own pace; they must be able to explore and exploit their corporative advantages for the benefit and welfare of their people.

“We therefore, wish to state that the 2019 general election in Nigeria shall be a direct contest between those who accept restructuring as the panacea for the survival of Nigeria and those who choose to maintain the status quo.”