December 24, 2019
By Nwamgba Amah | Biafra Writers
Awka - Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who was declared wanted by the Anambra State Commissioner of Police John Abang on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, in connection with the alleged murder of two police officers in Oraifite, Ekwusigo LGA of the state has gotten a temporary respite as the Federal High Court in the State ordered the security agencies to restrain and refrain from arresting him in compliance with the order of the court.
The court also ordered the security agencies to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the plaintiff motion on notice and also to put the plaintiff, all the defendants on notice before the hearing of the substantive suit which was adjourned till Friday, December 27, 2019.
Barrister Ejiofor's persecution was perceived as an indirect attack on his person due to his involvement with IPOB as the counsel to group and lawyer to its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
A group of lawyers under the auspices of Victims of Persecution has written to the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willy Obiano over the urgent need to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the gruesome and callous incident that took place at Oraifite, Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra state.
The copies of the petition which was made available to Biafra Writers and transcripted read thus;
Friday, 20th December 2019
His Excellency,
Chief Willy Obiano
Governor. Anambra State
Thro: The Anambra State Liaison Office Abuja
Dear Your Excellency
The Oraifite".... utter carnage"
URGENT NEED FOR YOUR OFFICE TO SET UP A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
We of the Victims of Persecution deeply sympathize with your Excellency, the Government and People of Anambra State over the recent gruesome and callous incidence at Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Area of Anambra State.
Four bodies/persons have described it from their different gory perspectives:
- The Oraifite Improvement 'union in a Public Statement described it as: "...scene of utter carnage"
- This is how the Nigerian Police put: "...set ablaze one Patrol vehicle and attacked them with rifles and machetes. And as a result two police officers... were killed... while others were inflicted with machete cuts"
- I.C. Ejiofor, Esq. in his letter dated 9th December 2019 to your Excellency highlighted as follows: "... the police under Anambra State Police Command and other security agents brutally invaded and set ablaze my premises in Oraifite Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State and consequently killed six unarmed Civilians on the 2nd December 2019
- Finally, one of the highly informed NGOs. International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of law at page 5 (Paras. 4 & 5) of its letter (REF: INTERSOC:OO1/12/19/OSGF/ABJ/NG) & dated Monday 16th December 2019 submitted:
Para. 4
"Surprisingly at about 10.30am same morning, truck-loads of armed police personnel comprising of the operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Ichi Unit and others had besieged the Lawyer's family compound and violently broke into same. As a result, verbal exchanges ensued between them and a handful of domestic staff and volunteers who were tidying up the compound and watching over the environment. They were all unarmed. The armed SARS operatives.. .opened fire after being told that the Lawyer was not at home and likely on his way to honor the invitation from the same Area Commander. Police bullets rained in all directions, forcing many including members of the neighborhood to run for safety.
Para. 5
Resisted by some of the volunteers through anti bullet charms, the armed police personnel became deadlier and resorted to grabbing and hitting them with metals and thick planks. In the end, four defenseless citizens were killed and others sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds. Eyewitnesses said two of the dead victims were rescued by their colleagues and hidden while the police made away with two others who were later set ablaze with a police van hundreds of meters away from Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor's family compound. Police also said they lost two officers (an ACP and an ASP) during the
attack.... .. "
All the four above (though each from entirely from different and divergent interrogations) portend sorrow for the despicable and avoidable loss of human life and property. Thomas Jefferson, former President of the United States of America once said
- "The care of human life and happiness. and not their destruction is the first and only objective of good government."
- "Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court..."
- ..to make laws for the peace. order and good government of the State or any part thereof with respect to the following matters..."
Emphasis ours.
(c) any other matter with respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution)
In furtherance to the above constitutional power and duty "... to make laws for the peace. order and good government of the State or any part thereof..." the Anambra State House of Assembly has set the tempo for the equitable resolution of matters of this ugly nature by having creditably enacted the Anambra State Commission of Inquiry Law, CAP 31.
Your Excellency. our Constitution via Section 5(2) mandates your office as follows:
Subject to the provisions of this Constitution,.. the executive powers of a State
Your Excellency (as the Chief Executive Of the Laws of Anambra State etc.), we recommend to you the immutable words Of Wilson Woodrow;
Yours Sincerely,
Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN
Rapporteur
Victims of Persecution
(c) any other matter with respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution)
In furtherance to the above constitutional power and duty "... to make laws for the peace. order and good government of the State or any part thereof..." the Anambra State House of Assembly has set the tempo for the equitable resolution of matters of this ugly nature by having creditably enacted the Anambra State Commission of Inquiry Law, CAP 31.
Your Excellency. our Constitution via Section 5(2) mandates your office as follows:
Subject to the provisions of this Constitution,.. the executive powers of a State
- (a) Shall be vested in the Governor of the State... and"
- (b) shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, all laws made by the House of Assembly of the State and to all matters with respect to which the House of Assembly has for the time being power to make laws.)
Your Excellency (as the Chief Executive Of the Laws of Anambra State etc.), we recommend to you the immutable words Of Wilson Woodrow;
"There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed".To this effect. we of the Victims Of Persecution request your Excellency to urgently set up a Commission of Inquiry over The Oraifite"... utter carnage". The real essence of humanity and government is to stand up for who can no longer stand up for themselves. No one should be unlawfully cut down like footpath grasses.
Yours Sincerely,
Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN
Rapporteur
Victims of Persecution
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