The Ebonyi State Civil Society Network has condemned the arbitrary and reckless display of force and brutality against residents of Ebonyi State by the State-controlled Ebubeagu Security Outfit.
The condemnation was contained in a statement released by the group on Wednesday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
It was in commemoration of the #EndSARS memorial.
The Network, an umbrella body of registered Civil Society Organisations in the State, lamented what they described as lack of basic training in the ethics of security and law enforcement by the Ebubeagu personal, which on some occasions have resulted to killings, unwarranted torture and other forms of human rights abuses slowly becoming worse than the Police and Armed Forces.
In the statement endorsed by the Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution Centre and over 20 other members of the network, the group challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors to, as a matter of priority, ensure immediate fulfilment of all promises made to the protesters, including convicting all perpetrators of Police and military brutality.
The group further observed that among the five point agreements with the youths to end the protest, only one has been partially implemented, which is the setting up of investigative panels.
They however, regretted that while the activities of the panel has been stalled in some States, recommendations were yet to be implemented in others.
The group collectively called for the full implementation of the recommendations of Judicial Panels, unmasking and prosecution of killers of the youths at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos and other places during the peaceful protest.
The statement reads in full: “On this Memorial of the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting by State Security Forces and actors, the Ebonyi State Civil Society Network, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State National Human Rights Commission wish to express solidarity with the Peaceful protests and other expressions of remembrance by well-meaning Nigerians across the country today.
“It is both worrisome and regrettable to note that one year after the protests against police brutality and the attendant illegal and genocidal crackdown on innocent, unarmed young Nigerians, nothing has changed.
“Justice is yet to be done and not one person has been held accountable for the State Sponsored Illegality and dictatorial suppression of the rights of people; especially the rights to life, to association and to free expression as is enshrined in chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“Of the 5 demands of the #EndSars protests, only the third demand – establishing independent investigative and prosecution panels for police misconduct have been partially implemented; while unabatedly, brutality by the police, extrajudicial killings and torture of innocent Nigerians by State forces, and all other forms of bad governance protested against continues.
“More troubling is the exacerbation of arbitrary arrests, torture and killings attributed to the Ebonyi State Controlled Ebubeagu Security outfit.
“Personnel of this outfit have recklessly displayed and proven their lack of basic training in the ethics of security and law enforcement and are thus slowly becoming worse than the Police and Armed Forces in Human Rights Violations and Abuses.
“Furthermore, we wish to unequivocally and firmly correct the erroneous idea that confers powers on the Police Commissioners and State Commands to allow, disallow or ban peaceful protests.
“In helping to achieve their mandate of law and order in the society, protesters of scheduled protests are obliged, if they so will to inform the police of planned protests, and not to seek their permission.
“A Commissioner of Police has no Legal Authority to Suspend the or a Part of the Nigerian Constitution.
“The Rights to Association, Peaceful Assembly and Expression are protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Likewise, we continually stress and call that all protesters, while exercising their rights to protest do so peacefully and in line with the Law.
“Also, we condemn the attacks on Police Stations and formations and the wanton killings of Police officers and other security agents; and thus insist that perpetuators of these violent illegal actions be unmasked and brought to justice.
“As we collectively emphasize on the full implementation of the Reports and Recommendations of the Judicial Panels; five demands of #EndSARS protesters, and we insist that the perpetrators of police brutality must be summarily unmasked, held responsible and be made to be accountable for their illegal and extrajudicial actions.”