The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA has called for the arrest and prosecution of police officers who invaded the St Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama-Obaire in Nkwerre Local Government Area to arrest a former governorship candidate, Mr. Uche Nwosu.
A video that went viral on social media recently showed that the former Imo State governorship candidate was arrested by the police when officers stormed a church service where he was worshipping on Sunday.
The police operatives were said to have arrived during the church service, shooting sporadically before whisking the son-in-law to Senator Rochas Okorocha away.
In a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko lamented how police officers invaded a place of worship with sophisticated weapons, interrupting prayers.
HURIWA said Mr Nwosu, who is a “perceived political enemy of the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma” was arrested from the church premises during the solemn ceremony and thanksgiving worship in respect of the family’s departed matriarch
He said, “Our demand is simple- produce these armed operatives some of whom brazenly invaded the altar shooting sporadically and dispersing the frightened worshippers some of whom, apart from the psychological and emotional traumatic experience, could have been shot if some of the bullets had landed on them as they were made to stampede out of the Church in fear that the hooded invaders who wore no identifiable uniform or name tags were unknown gunmen that have been ravaging the Southeast of Nigeria.
“We all saw how this unprovoked invasion of the Church in Imo got international opprobrium and we saw the waves of condemnation from Nigeria including but not limited to even the Imo State government who blamed the police for invading the Church.
“We all saw also, the repercussions of the brazen violent attacks and invasion of the Abuja home of the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s second in Command Justice Mary Odili and the consequential arrests of some of these invaders and recently the police charged them in court.
“The Offences of the invaders of the Anglican Church in Imo State is wealthier because unlike in the Mary Odili’s home invasion by those rogue elements led by an alleged CSP who was later denied by the police, the police operatives that invaded the Church in Imo State shot several rounds of live ammunition into the crowds of worshippers.
“Also, we learnt that the IGP investigated the invasion and the report has been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Nigerians are asking for the public full disclosure of this report from the IGP and we wonder if the DG of DSS and the Army Chief also took their time to investigate the extent of involvement of their officers who were reportedly in that scene of unprovoked violent invasion by the security forces who wore no uniforms.
“The Army and the DSS must disclose the identities of the invaders and charge them to court to serve as a deterrent because their action could have precipitated civil strife if not that those worshippers took the entire scenario in their strides.
“This issue is a serious human rights matter that must never be swept under the carpets and our action is not motivated by politics but by the patriotic zeal to ensure that impunity and lawlessness are not made the hallmarks of the government of Nigeria.
“This press briefing which is our first in 2022 is to further serve notice to the relevant authorities to act swiftly because this criminality and state-sponsored terrorism happened close to Month ago and is the norm in Nigeria since the Muhammadu Buhari administration, Nigerians make a lot of noise to condemn government’s lawlessness and a few hours after, the whole thing dies now and it is business as usual.
“We are going to stay on this issue until Nigeria acts to stop their armed security personnel from unleashing aggressive attacks on the citizens.
“Our single formulated prayer is for the Police Service Commission to identify the police operatives who did the unthinkable and terrorist act of invading a Church and shooting sporadically right inside a well-populated Church.
“The Police officers including the Police commissioner of Imo State who confirmed the invasion which he termed ‘arrest’ of Uche Nwosu must be invited by the PSC to clear their names or be dismissed.
“We are considering other measures but we will first allow the PSC to exercise her powers to bring the lawless and reckless police officers to face the music of their professional misconduct in Imo”.