The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has condemned in strongest terms the killing of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff, Nwokorie Anthony by gunmen at Nkwo Ihitte (PU 004) in Amakohia ward (RA 02) of Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State.
The youth leaders in a statement signed by its President General, Goodluck Ibem, described the killing of Nwokorie, attack on INEC staff and her facilities as wicked, senseless, barbaric and uncalled for.
“According to reports and eye witnesses, the gunmen claimed to be the fighting for the people. How does one kill the same people you claimed to be fighting for? Who then will benefit after killing all those you claimed to be fighting for?
The action of these gunmen has produced countless widows in Igboland which is now in disarray and state of confusion.
“Our people in the diaspora are no longer coming home, investors are leaving in droves, businessmen and women no longer come to South East for their business transactions because of the notorious and nefarious activities of these gunmen. To make the matters worse, the army, Airforce, and Police deployed to the state to provide security in the state are not interested in providing any security but are only interested in collecting bribe from motorists on the roads.
“These security agents rob our motorists with impunity at guns point, the same security agents deployed to protect armless citizens. The security operatives are now “known gunmen” operating in the South East zone.
Buses pay as high as N200 to soldiers while Police collect N100 from buses. Soldiers collect N2,000 from trailers and trucks while Police collect the range of what N200 to N500 from them. Our roads have been converted to a high of corruption. It is very worrisome. We call on the South East governors to wake up from their slumber and address the security challenges confronting the zone or resign if they can’t tackle the situation.
“We call on the gunmen to stop the killing of our people and we call on their leaders to come forward and present their grievances. No nation survives by killing her own people. No reason whatsoever is justifiable for anyone to take another man’s life. The killings must stop.”
Source: The Nation
