The Nigerian Bar Affiliation, Calabar Department, Cross River State, has decried Governor Ben Ayade’s directive to the Nigerian Army to maintain the army operation in Nko group.
A press release signed by the department Chairman, Attah Ochinke, and Secretary, Eno Edet, stated “The eye of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation, Calabar Department, has been drawn to the directive issued to the Nigerian Army by the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade, in respect of the military’s operations presently being carried out in Nko and Oyadama communities.
“In a press assertion issued by his Deputy Chief Press Secretary, the governor ordered the sustenance of military operation in Nko group till these behind the taking pictures of six army personnel are produced or fished out.
“Whereas we be a part of the governor in condemning the embarrassing and seemingly intractable communal clashes between these neighbouring communities, we view the directive of the governor to the military to maintain its operations in Nko group as appalling and ill-advised.
“It is not uncommon information that the military is presently engaged in a reprisal motion in opposition to the Nko group over the alleged taking pictures of six army personnel in the middle of the disaster.
“The military is alleged to be presently engaged in indiscriminate taking pictures, abstract execution and rape of hapless residents in Nko group underneath the guise of fishing out the perpetrators answerable for the taking pictures of the army personnel.
“Homes and different properties are being burnt or destroyed by the army within the operation to fish out the culprits. The reprisal assaults are uncooked vengeance and never an investigation.”
The affiliation famous tha the crises between Nko and Oyadama have grow to be an annual embarrassment to the state.
“We notably condemn the assault and killing of army personnel drafted to the scene to assist carry the state of affairs to order. Whereas the small print of the occasions are awaited, no excuse will justify the taking pictures of military personnel on a peace preserving operation.
“The regulation of armed conflicts, even in worldwide situations, view assault on peace keepers as a heinous crime.
“Nevertheless, we’re appalled that the governor, with a mandate for regulation and order within the state, answerable for the welfare and wellbeing of all Cross Riverians, will urge the sustenance of reprisal assaults on hapless villagers.
“We all know that these which have been killed, wounded or raped in these reprisal assaults aren’t essentially the perpetrators of the assault on the troopers.
“The victims of the reprisal assaults are residents within the improper place and time with out regard to their culpability. At this stage, the governor ought to be reining within the military and bringing the reprisal
assaults to an finish.
“We urge the Commanders of the Army Units concerned, the GOC of 82 Division, Enugu, the Chief of Army Employees, and finally, President Muhammadu Buhari, our Commander-in-Chief, to name the troopers to order and produce the state of affairs underneath management. We name on residents with entry to those establishments to intervene to cease the carnage.
“We urge the Cross River State authorities to revisit and implement the suggestions of the judicial panel of enquiry over the disaster. Maybe this may carry the disaster to an finish and save residents the annual embarrassment and danger that these clashes pose to all of us that ply the Ikom-Calabar freeway,” it stated.
The NBA additionally appealed to the governor to countermand or withdraw his directions to the military to keep away from extra lack of harmless lives.
Responding earlier on the army operation in Nko, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, stated “Troops didn’t conduct themselves unprofessionally. Troops had been legitimately deployed to revive regulation and order in a communal conflict between Onyadama and Nko communities. The troops had been attacked and shot with firearms. The 5 personnel who’re critically wounded are presently underneath intensive medical care unit.”
