The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to urgently probe the alleged invasion and destruction of lives and property in five Imo communities by suspected law enforcement agents.
The House urged the Army and police authorities to particularly unravel perpetrators of the act; the reason for the invasion; the number of lives and properties destroyed; their offences, and why communities that are not at war must be razed “without recourse to the excruciating effect of rendering the innocent homeless as well as depriving them of their source of livelihood.”
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This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at plenary by Hon. Chinedu Emeka (PDP, Imo).
In his lead debate, Hon Emeka told the House that five communities in Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency of Imo State namely, Ihitteafoukwu, Umu Okirika, Oparanadim, Mpam, and Ogbor Umeze were invaded by armed men suspected to be security agents in the early hours of February 12.
He said the invaders engaged in unlawful arrest and wanton destruction of lives and properties of innocent people in the communities which are in violation of their fundamental human rights.
The lawmaker maintained that the primary responsibility of law enforcement agencies was to maintain law and order and not to “wantonly destroy lives and properties or other actions that are inimical to fundamental human rights”
He said that such a “Gestapo invasion, siege and wanton destruction of lives and properties after sporadic shootings is expanding in scope and frequency in the country especially in Imo State, South East of Nigeria”, hence, the need to need to investigate the matter.
Hon Emeka expressed concerns that Nigerians were increasingly losing hope and confidence in the Nation’s law enforcers due to high-handedness, unethical conduct and total disregard for rule of law and engagements.
The lawmaker maintained that in the fight against unlawful activities or any form of criminality, it must be anchored on rule of law as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, especially when human lives and properties are involved.
The House after adopting the motion, mandated its committee on Police Affairs and the committee on Army to ensure compliance.
