The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the arrest of those responsible for attacks in some local government secretariats in Rivers State.
The coordinated attacks are coming on the heels of Saturday’s local government election in the state where hitherto unknown APP cleared the chairmanship seats.
Thus, the pro-democracy group accused the Rivers State Police Command and the Department of State Services (DSS) of negligence, alleging that their failure to act on intelligence allowed the attacks to take place.
“The attackers should be treated as terrorists,” HURIWA emphasised, urging the DSS to “arrest those responsible” and to apply counter-terrorism laws to curb further threats to public infrastructure.
In a statement released on October 7, 2024, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HURIWA, lamented the inaction of security forces.
“The initial withdrawal of police services during Saturday’s local government election was a grave mistake, widely condemned by the Nigerian Bar Association and other stakeholders,” Onwubiko said.
“The Inspector General must act swiftly to apprehend the culprits. Any further sabotage could plunge Rivers into chaos,” the group warned.
“Politicians must show restraint and respect for the rule of law. Any compromise in the integrity of law enforcement could lead to widespread anarchy,” HURIWA stated.
“The police are yet to release an official statement on the incident and the extent of the damage remains unclear.”
